Naruto the Abomination
by RisingHope69
Summary: Black Zetsu is the manipulator of the Shinobi World History. Every major event can be tied to him in someway. So what if he made one different decision? What if instead of developing Ninjutsu out of Ninshuu, what if Indra developed magic? What could happen in a world of Warriors and Magic instead of Ninja and Ninjutsu? Will Naruto be the same or different?
1. Chapter 1

I could go on and on about what I like/dislike about Naruto. It would be it's on story itself, but I feel like that's been said and done. Instead, allow me to introduce you to Naruto the Abomination.

The history of the Shinobi World was manipulated by one being. The embodiment of Ootsutsuki Kaguya, the Progenitor of Chakra and unknown queen of the Dragon race, Black Zetsu set out to free his 'Mother' from the sealed prison her two sons, Ootsutsuki Hagoromo and Ootsusuki Hamura, put her in. Both Hagoromo and Hamura were descendants of the mythical race of Dragons. One decision changed everything. Instead of teaching Ninjutsu, Black Zetsu taught Indra a different way to use Chakra.

Instead of developing Ninjutsu, Indra developed Mystical Magic. It required one to use chakra, or as Indra dubbed it, Life Force, to convert the existing charged particles, or lightning, moisture, or water, and shadows, or darkness and manipulate them to certain degrees. In response, Asura developed Solar Magic that allowed one to manipulate existing heat, or fire, air, or wind, and minerals, or earth thanks to weapons the Sage of Six Paths left behind.

Despite the two brothers dying in their battle to be their father's rightful heir, they had children that continued their feud. Thanks to Black Zetsu's meddling, the entire history of the world has changed. Humans evolved and became something… Different. The introduction to Life Force sped things up so to speak. The Dragon blood within the Ootsusuki clan spread and gave birth to different races.

First came the Fae, or the Senju Clan. They seemed to have a connection to the earth thanks to their use of Solar Magic and their Sentient Weapons. Many clans were made consisting of Fae blood or characteristics. These clans were, but weren't limited to: Aburame, Akimichi, Sarutobi, and Uzumaki. Second came the Trolls, or the Uchiha Clan. They were held as the most plentiful and advanced of the clans/races. Their cybernetic eyes, known as the Sharingan, could predict movement, see Life Force, copy certain magic, and there were rumors of a more advanced version. Many clans were made of Troll blood or characteristics. These clans were, but weren't limited to: Hyuuga, with their cybernetic eyes called the Byakguan, Yamanaka, and Kurama.

Next came the Lycan, or Inuzuka Clan, who were literally 'one' with their Ninken. They were known to adopt bestial forms when provoked. Next were the Fiends, or Kaguya clan. Their bones could literally drain the Life Force out of you. Next were the Witches/Warlocks, or the Yotsuki clan. Their skin, due to their useage of Mystical Magic, turned various shades of gray. Clans with Witch/Warlock blood or characteristics were, but weren't limited to: Hatake, Hagoromo, Nara, Shimaru, and Namikaze.

Despite the differences he made, Black Zetsu still managed to manipulate history to his design. His greatest achievement was manipulating the King of Trolls, Uchiha Madara. That manipulation led to a spiral of war, death, and despair that went on for many years. One thing Black Zetsu never thought of was what would his meddling truly mean for his plans to resurrect his 'Mother'? What would replacing Ninjutsu with Magic and chakra with Life Force? (AN: All events in the cannon Naruto are still in effect. Black Zetsu manipulates the same people, only difference is their races.)

It was an average day in Konohagakure, the first Unified Village. It housed many different people of all kinds of races. It fostered the "Will of Fire" philosophy and togetherness. It was home to Fae, Trolls, Lycans, and Witches/Warlocks. The leader of Konoha was none other than Sarutobi Hiruzen, Third Hokage. Forced out of retirement after the Kyuubi, the embodiment of Hatred, broke free from its previous Abomination (Basically a Jinchuuriki) and ran amok in the village. The death toll was high, but it was only thanks to the sacrifice of Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage, that they survived at all.

The Third Hokage sighed deeply. His bug like wings hung low on the floor. Their usual chirper beat was gone. He robotically listened to the Anbu who read him the reports. He stopped listening when he heard his beloved Biwako was killed. She had filled his aged heart with such joy, too bad they were just distant memories at that point. He had to take the mantle of Hokage once again and he didn't know if he could. He was old, easily in his hundreds (Yes I am being literal) and wanted to retire and become a simple advisor.

To add on to his worries, he had to decide what should be done with Minato and Uzumaki Kushina's newborn son, Uzumaki Naruto. The boy had his father's sun kissed spiky hair, but inherited his mother's peachy skin. His pair of four wings were small, but would no doubt beat strongly one day. He was not the first to be born of two different races, but what made him special was he was the newest Abomination for the Kyuubi. Each Abomination of a Bijuu had an unique ability or abilities depending on their Bijuu. It was too early to know what the boy would be capable of, but Hiruzen knew he was destined for greatness.

The Third Hokage endured the report and dismissed his Anbu to gather the Council. He had to get a prospective of the damage and what could be done to save face. Once the Council was gathered, the Third Hokage looked around at those present. In the Shinobi Council you had Hyuuga Hiashi. He had reddish skin, small pointy ears, and the Byakugan inactive, but still clear as day. He had long brown hair done in a sophisticated manner with dignified robes. There was Aburame Shibi, dressed in dark garb with four wings, currently at rest. There was Inuzuka Tsume, with her Ninken, Kuromaru. She was a feral looking woman with a mane of hair, the telltale Inuzuka marks on her cheeks, and sharp eyes. There was Yamanaka Inoichi, with reddish skin, rounded ears, blonde hair in a ponytail, and blue eyes. There was Akimichi Choza, with sturdy wings to carry his weight. There was Nara Shikaku, with his signature pineapple hairstyle, steel gray skin, and scar. There was Uchiha Fugaku, with his reddish skin, large pointy ears, and black coal cybernetic eyes.

Next came his Advisors, his old teammates. If he were honest, two of them were irrelevant and only one really mattered in the fact he was a real pain in the ass. Shimaru Danzo, with his deep gray skin and heavily bandaged body. He was given the moniker the Darkness of the World for good reason.

Hiruzen called the meeting to begin and listened intently to each clans' report. It seemed the Hatake clan was hit heavily by the Kyuubi attack, along with the Kurama and Shimura. The losses for all three were easily in the 75%. The Nara lost around 28%, the Akimichi around 30% due to them being the ones to engage the Kyuubi with taijutsu. The Yamanaka lost 15%, the Inuzuka lost 20%, the Hyuuga lost 10%, the Sarutobi lost 40%, that hurt the Third deeply. The Uchiha only lost 5%, which caused a lot of suspicion, but it was put to the side. It would take years to recover, not to mention so many orphans to take care of.

"Hokage-sama, is that who I think it is?" Tsume asked the question everyone wanted answered. Most, if not all of the clan leaders knew Minato, either personally or as a respected leader. They knew he had a thing for the red haired Uzumaki and the baby before them was the perfect combination of the two. Then again, they didn't need to know the man to know this was his son. Tsume could smell the similarities, though there was a strong scent of fox, which got her thinking. Hiashi could see the similarities in the boy's Life Force with that of both Minato and Kushina. Shikaku didn't need to use mystical lightning magic to charge his brain to figure it out. Everyone else just assumed.

"I don't see a point in hiding it from the Council. This is Uzumaki Naruto, son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. He is also the Abomination of the Kyuubi no Yoko. I feel it is my responsibility to tell you a secret held from you for most, if not all, of your lives." The Third Hokage stated. Everyone was shocked, what secret could have been hidden from such seasoned warriors?

"Uzumaki Kushina was the previous Abomination for the Kyuubi. It is a well kept secret that female Abominations are at their weakest during childbirth. According to the Fourth, just before he died, a masked Troll somehow managed to get past Anbu guards, and separate Kushina from Minato, who was busy trying to keep the charm imprisoning the Kyuubi active and stable. He then broke the charm, and managed to control the Kyuubi for a time, until Minato severed the link and recaptured the Kyuubi at the cost of his life." The Third Hokage explained. Tsume seemed to take it the hardest, with Hiashi a close second. Tsume was Kushina's rival/friend. How could she have known Kushina for all those years and not know she had to suffer the torment of being an Abomination?

There was an uproar among the Council. Mainly about the Masked Troll and if the Uchiha were to blame. They did lose less out of the attack and only one Troll has ever been recorded controlling the Kyuubi. Fugaku insisted his clan were not behind any of it and the Third believed him. He cautioned everyone from allowing emotions to sway them. They all lost loved ones and hadn't had time to grieve.

"I am sure this is unnecessary, but I would rather be safe than sorry. Everything learned today is an S rank matter and falls under Hokage clearance only. I will also make a decree later today to all of Konoha. I will announce Naruto as the Abomination of the Kyuubi and decree that no one can kill, maim, or harm Naruto out of petty revenge. He is a hero and I will stand by him." The Third Hokage stated. He rocked the crying baby back to sleep, before he gave the floor to the Council.

"Hokage-sama, is it really wise to tell the whole village?" Hiashi asked. The only reason Kushina had a life was because no one knew of her status. It was no secret Abominations were feared at best, hated and demonized at worst. With all the loss from the attack still fresh, it was like throwing oil on a fire.

"Yes it is. I am not arrogant nor deluded enough to believe we can keep this a secret from the village. They have a right to know, by not telling them about Kushina we left ourselves open. We could have had more guards, been more prepared, but that is behind us. Obviously, I can't allow a single clan to adopt the child. He plays too big of role in the village as a whole to only swear allegiance to a single clan. With that being said, I won't object to all the clans helping him in their own way." The Third Hokage said slyly. He knew he couldn't just adopt the boy out of all the orphans this disaster gave birth to. It would lead to too many questions and he still needed to have a separate meeting with the financial department and other departments vital to rebuilding his great village.

The other clan leaders caught wind of his veiled invitation. Naruto was the closest thing to royalty in Konoha next to Senju Tsunade, the Uchiha, and the Hyuuga. The Namikaze clan were a fearsome clan of Witch/Warlock warriors who specialized in using mystical lightning magic. Minato being the most infamous with his ability to achieve Hyper Speed. It was a feat only he achieved to this day. The Uzumaki were also a fearsome clan, who specialized in using solar wind magic and creating spells for various tasks. From Barrage (attack), Barricade (defense), and Supplemental. Both clans were almost eradicated by the joint efforts Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakire. The Namikaze and Uzumaki numbers are rumor at best, but one fact was that Konoha had a member of both clans in their village.

With that taken care of, the Third Hokage ended the meeting and told them to gather their clansmen for the announcement. Naruto's lineage was under Hokage clearance. Any who spoke of it to anyone besides him would meet a swift death should word get out. Hiruzen sighed deeply for the umpteenth time that day. He placed Naruto in the hands of a trusted nurse and went to prepare himself.

The announcement went as he had expected. The Fourth may have grown up during a warring period, but Hiruzen grew up through all three. While the Fourth held hope and believed in his people to see Naruto for what he truly was, the Third knew enough about the world to know things were not that simple. He could explain to the people about the complexity of the charm keeping the Kyuubi at bay, but it didn't sway the people. Perhaps the death of his wife and son on the same day had a greater toll than he thought?

Once the death threats were silenced by a display of Hiruzen's Killing Intent, in the form of a raging fire, he explained the simple fact that killing Naruto would release the Kyuubi upon them. That quieted most of the villagers. The decree to not harm Naruto was widely accepted after that. The final decree caused more uproar. It was forbidden to tell anyone in Naruto's age group or with the current rank of Genin about his status. Those who bitched were reminded that they should be happy they were alive and mourn those they loss.

After the announcement there was a universal feeling of despair and lamenting throughout the village. Many children cried and lives were irreversibly destroyed in a single moment. The Third began the tiring job of running a hidden village. He was determined to keep busy to stave off the loneliness and bitterness he felt towards the world. He would not allow this to destroy him. His wings beat a little and get just a spark of their glow back…

Alright that is the first chapter. A lot more will be revealed such as why I refer to them as warriors and not ninja. How they use magic and what kind of life Naruto has led. Just so you know, I will time skip to where Naruto enters the Academy. I am leaving the floor up to you readers. Should the Uchiha be massacred? What do you think of them being Trolls? Have any questions concerning the races? Ask and I will either PM you or discuss it in the next Author Note. Bye.


	2. Chapter 2

Key:

This is Naruto, bitch!: Regular narration.

"Hn. Don't break an arm jerking yourself off.": Someone talking.

"I will destroy you all!": Bijuu/Higher Being speaking.

"Man… I'm so awesome… I should be spankin' my shit right now…": Thoughts.

Eight years wasn't much time in the grand scheme of things, but to Sarutobi Hiruzen, it was an eternity. He was eight years older and eight years grayer. Still, it wasn't all bad. Konoha was recovering nicely. Infrastructural speaking of course. Their weakened state was no secret to the rest of the world. Kumogakure saw it as the perfect chance to wage war against them. To Kumo's shock, Konoha was still more than strong enough to defend. Hoping to put a stop to the fighting, the Third opened up negotiations for peace between their villages.

Too bad Kumo decided to spit in his face with what was dubbed the Hyuuga Affair. Their 'Head Warrior' used the signing of the peace treaty as a guise to take the Hyuuga heiress, Hinata, a mere four year old at the time! Then Kumo had the BALLS to demand they be compensated when the Uchiha Police arrested him. The 'Head Warrior' was found dead in his cell. Cause of death was, I shit you not, electrocution. It was a well known fact that the Hyuuga, despite being Trolls, could use mystical lightning magic and did in a deadly way. Still no one would own up to the murder and it wasn't like they could mind dive the entire Hyuuga clan (read didn't care enough to). So they didn't send Kumo a body and the fighting continued.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was having none of their shit. He truly wished for peace, but he was no pushover. A couple months of him personally slaughtering a few squads of Kumo warriors and even a battle with the Hachibi Abomination caused Kumo to back off in their demands. The Third showed why he was known as the Professor and took Kumo to school. By keeping the Hyuuga Affair quiet from the rest of the world, Konoha gained a rather shaky peace between their two villages; not to mention a few ryo and some scrolls on mystical lightning magic. After all, who would want to do business with a village who takes little children in the guise of a peace treaty? Still the constant battles were taking a toll on the wizened Fae.

It had been four years. Four years after that he thought he could rest and enjoy the peace he fought so hard for. That peace lasted two months. One of his most loyal Trolls, Uchiha Itachi, informed him of a planned coup d'etat orchestrated by the Uchiha clan leader Fugaku. Their numbers were rumors, but the Third knew this was a serious threat. No one liked fighting a Troll, especially not an Uchiha. From the stories his sensei, Senju Hashirama, spoke of when he was drinking away his woes it was truly a terrifying experience. Hashirama never fully recovered from the battle and many believed it was what lead to the great man's death and caused the First World War.

The Third knew not all Trolls were bad though. Committing genocide on a clan was also highly frowned upon by other clans. It would also not look good for Konoha's Troll inhabitants if a clan of Trolls were eradicated. He tried for peace, even tried to offer the Uchiha more land, more ryo, and more influence. It seemed to work, but that was just hopeful thinking. Many of the higher ups, those with Council influence, openly showed their distrust of the Uchiha. This distrust from the higher ups bled into the village and soon the Uchiha were seen as oppressors rather than guardians.

Hiruzen knew he couldn't allow the Uchiha to start a civil war, but he couldn't just kill them all. The Third Hokage used a secret form of communication (read summoned monkeys) to alert the Council, minus Fugaku, of a secret meeting. There he informed them of the possible coup d'etat. The clans agreed that the rebels needed to be taken care of.

While Hiruzen and the clans tried to come up with a plan, Danzo had other plans. Itachi, a long time double agent, was given an ultimatum: Allow the Uchiha to go through with their coup d'etat or end it. Itachi chose the latter and ended up killing all Uchiha Chunin and higher with the help of a mystery Troll, that Danzo seemed to know. Hiruzen was greatly enraged by Danzo's actions. Despite the results succeeding in solving the problem, the Third was no fool. He sensed foul play, so he ended Danzo's Root by cutting off their 'head' and burning the 'seeds'. The head was Danzo's funds; both known and shadow within Konoha. The seeds were the orphans. Danzo and all his associates were barred from adopting. Hiruzen knew it only delayed him at best, but he showed he could be just a big a pain in the ass as Danzo could.

Most children aged 12 and younger were spared, along with the civilian members of the Uchiha with no training or Sharingan. Among the survivors was Itachi's younger brother, Sasuke. The small red skinned Troll was left with the truth literally Tsukiyomi into his brain. He saw his brother kill his parents over and over again and he heard his words to them and theirs back. Was it just part of the illusion or was it true?

Sasuke knew too much, that he understood. Itachi, while grief stricken, wanted his brother to know the truth. He wanted Sasuke to understand his actions, but knew he deserved to be punished. So he used the Tsukiyomi to show his younger brother his memories leading up to the murder of his parents. Days, weeks, maybe even months before the Uchiha Clan Downfall. It was too much for his eight year old mind to handle. He went into a coma and hadn't woken up yet. So no one knew what Itachi showed Sasuke, but the young survivor himself.

The Third Hokage sighed deeply. He slouched in his chair with a heavy heart. Normally there were many different secretaries at their desks sorting through the insane amounts of paperwork that came in and out of his office. That day it was empty. Not even his private Anbu were in the room. Hiruzen showed his mastery over Solar Wind magic and literally sound proofed the room in preparation for his incoming guest. What he would tell them would no doubt work their world, but it needed to be done. The sooner the better and by someone of sound mind.

In walked, an eight year old Uzumaki Naruto. He was an average height for a Fae his age. Naruto had peachy skin, six-whisker marks on his cheeks, head like a sunrise over the horizon, deep blue eyes and four strong wings. "Old man! My ninja! You wanted to talk to me?" Hiruzen chuckled in annoyance.

"I have told you countless times, Naruto. I am not a ninja, I am a warrior. Ninjas wouldn't go around spewing fire, conjuring wind storms, or traveling underground. That is far too loud and flashy. Hell you could even call me a Wizard." The Third Hokage said with a chuckle.

"Call it my verbal tick, Old man. So what's up, why did you sound proof the place?" Naruto asked. The eight year old wasn't a genius by any means, but he wasn't a FUCKING moron! His entire life was a lonely experience. No one would give him the time of day. They either outright ignored him, openly sneered at him, or were too afraid to be near him. That left Naruto a lot of alone time.

Naruto spent his time trying to learn Solar Magic. No one at the orphanage paid him much attention, so he would sometimes venture into the training grounds of the village. At first, the warriors would stop their spars and escorted him back to the orphanage. Too interested in Solar Magic to care, Naruto began to spy on them without them knowing. It was hard at first, but his curiosity won over the Warrior's concern for him. It was hard, because the Warrior's didn't rely on chants and hand signs to use Solar Magic.

Most Fae were capable of using Solar Magic on their own, but their Sentient Weapons acted as a medium that amplified their magic. With enough Life Force, gained from years of battle experience, one could perform powerful magic without their weapons nearby or even on hand. Naruto clearly lacked a medium, so he decided to try to learn as much as he could.

He hated reading, not because he was stupid, but because it would put him to sleep. He found most authors who made these scrolls were overly complicated and drawn out. He figured he would just wing it and see what happened. He was only a year into his training, but he awakened his Life Force and learned he had an affinity for Solar Wind magic. He couldn't do much besides detect other Solar Wind charms in his 'area'. He was proud of his 'Wind Area of Effect' which allowed him to currently detect other solar magic charms.

The Third could only chuckle. He hadn't even been paired with a Sentient Weapon and yet had a decent grip on Solar Wind magic. "I am impressed you noticed my sound proofing charms."

"Don't insult me, Old Man. I may not be strong enough to take that hat from you, but I'm close! Pretty soon you and everyone else will be calling me 'Hokage-sama'! Until then, let's get down to business." Naruto said with a foxy grin. The Third Hokage sighed. He truly hoped Naruto kept his sunny disposition. It brightened his heart to see the little ball of sunshine. Telling him his status could destroy him. It could also awaken the Kyuubi if it wasn't already.

"Naruto, do you know what an Abomination is?" The Third Hokage asked. Naruto shook his head no. People, who especially hated him, would call him Monster Brat, Fox Brat, but never Abomination.

"An Abomination is a person who has a Bijuu sealed inside them. A Bijuu is Sentient Life Force given form. There are nine of them, each one identified by the number of tails they bear. Tell me, Naruto. What Bijuu do you know of?" The Third Hokage asked. He didn't want to just say 'Naruto, you're an Abomination for the Kyuubi. Deal with it.' He had to handle this delicately.

"That's easy. The Kyuubi no Yoko. Pretty hard to NOT know about the walking disaster that almost destroyed our village on my birthday. Weird how I was born the same day the Kyuubi attacked… Wait…" Naruto thought hard on it.

"I must have defeated the Kyuubi! It makes perfect sense! The day I was born, the Fourth must have sacrificed his life to hold the Kyuubi back and I must have used some super awesome spell to seal the Kyuubi inside myself!" Naruto theorized. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the famed Professor, expected many responses from the child. Sorrow, anger, despair, anything but what the boy actually said. He didn't know whether to be annoyed with his arrogance or impressed he basically figured it out himself using the few clues he gave.

"Well… Technically it was the Fourth who defeated the Kyuubi. You were a newborn, clearly it was impossible for you to know how to capture it and seal it within yourself. I am glad you figured it out though. The reason the villagers treat you so wrongly is because you are the Abomination of the Kyuubi." The Third Hokage explained. Naruto didn't know much about magic, but he trusted the Fourth to know what he was doing. True he was sore about his status and more than a little worried.

"So what does being an Abomination mean for me?" Naruto asked. He was an orphan, but he knew about the Uzumaki clan. The Third would tell him stories of his mother and her clansmen he had the pleasure of knowing. It was one reason why Naruto wanted to learn Solar Wind magic. He knew the Uzumaki had larger Life Forces than most, longevity, and mastery of Solar Wind and charm magic.

"Aside from your larger than normal Life Force being multiplied by who knows how much as you grow, you have a higher regenerative ability than most. While you can't regrow a limb currently, it might not be out of the question when you're older. Other than that, only time will tell. One thing I want to make absolutely clear. Do not listen to the Kyuubi. I know I am probably wasting my time, but let an old man hold onto hope. If/when it tries to contact you, you come to me immediately." The Third demanded. Naruto gulped, sensing the seriousness of the Third Hokage. The blonde Fae nodded his understanding.

"Good. I didn't invite you here just to tell you about your burden. I wanted to personally tell you that you will be attending the Academy starting next week. I thought we could celebrate the news at Ichiraku Ramen." The Third said with a smile. Naruto couldn't contain his excitement! The Third walked, with Naruto in tow, out of his office and building. When they were outside in the crisp heat of Konoha, Hiruzen put Naruto on his shoulders, and used Solar Wind Soar spells to take them high into the sky.

They flew until they saw the Ramen stand and landed outside the stand. The Third pulled back the curtains and entered with Naruto hopping on a stall. "What up, what up, what up, OMI (Old Man Ichiraku)!" the owner of the ramen stand looked from the kitchen and barked with laughter.

"Good ol' Naruto-kun! Ayame-chan, it's your little brother!" Teuchi said. The ramen chef was a Fae who only used the best ingredients in his dishes. He would admit it to no one, but he added Solar Earth magically grown ingredients in his dishes as opposed to the cheaper and faster normally grown ones. Ayame, a cheerful Fae with brown hair and eyes, buzzed out of the back. She zipped over to Naruto gave him a big hug, which the younger Fae gladly returned.

"Naruto-kun! Ya little squirt! What can we get you today? Oh hello, Hokage-sama!" Ayame said with a bow. The Third chuckled and waved her off. "I'll have you know I am average size! Anyway, I want a large serving of miso ramen with roasted pork fillet and keep em coming!" Ayame chuckled, "So the usual; of course." She tossed her notepad in the air mockingly.

When Naruto's food came, he ate with wild abandon. The Third Hokage ate a bowl of beef ramen with dignity. The ramen waitress listened to Naruto rant about entering the Academy and how awesome it would be to learn Solar Magic. It was common for the two to talk over ramen. When they were done, the Third paid for their meals and took Naruto back to the orphanage. Afterwards he went to his office.

Naruto was immediately led to his room and locked inside. He knew he was an Abomination, but that didn't excuse the villagers' treatment of him. If it were him, he wouldn't care. Then again, he couldn't hold people to the same standard he held for himself. If they didn't like him, that was their problem not his.

Naruto went into his secret compartment and took out one of the many gifts he would receive on his birthday. It happened to be a scroll on trap making and how to escape certain kinds of traps. Naruto easily picked the lock and walked out the orphanage. He went to the Troll district to where the Uchiha used to train. He figured since the Clan's Downfall a few months earlier no one would bother him. He installed it and set himself in it. The trap was a Solar Fire trap, that hung a person over a roaring fire by a rope that was slowly burning. You had to use Solar Wind magic, without igniting the flames, to escape. The young Uzumaki tried and failed to escape in time. He ended up using too much Solar Wind magic and got burned for it.

It was an old Uzumaki training method. You could only try it once a day for obvious reasons. With that being a bust, Naruto sat down and tried to think. He decided on practicing his accuracy with kunai and shuriken. He wanted to wait until he had the basics down before he tried adding Solar Wind magic to it. He practiced for a few hours, until it was time for dinner. He went back to the orphanage and ate alone. After that, he went back to the Uchiha training ground.

Naruto was sitting down and tried to meditate. It was insanely hard for him, what with his hyperactivity. He knew he needed to learn how to meditate to get better control of his Life Force and thus Solar Wind magic. He learned that if it was dense enough, you could see Life Force when it was being used for Mystical or Solar Magic. In Naruto's case, his Life Force was immense and extremely dense. Just gathering it was enough to see it.

Naruto was surprised he could see the green waves of Solar Wind magic. He wasn't even trying to make it visible! He experimented with 'spreading' his Life Force through the air and basically extending his AOE, but only a few feet around him.

Meanwhile, the Third Hokage was busy delegating the flow of paperwork in his office. He signed all the relevant documents that needed his attention and passed the irrelevant bull shit to his secretaries. Suddenly one of the Medical-Nin came into his office. He informed the Third Hokage that Uchiha Sasuke had awakened from his three month coma. The Third made his way to the Hospital and went to Sasuke's room.

The young heir to the Uchiha clan simply waited on the old Hokage. Sasuke didn't know how to feel, what to think, or who to trust. All he knew was he had an ambition in life. He would restore his clan and bring them to greater glory than ever before. He would also punish the people responsible for the death of his parents, but first came meeting the Hokage. Sasuke was young, only eight years old, but Trolls weren't held as being natural born geniuses for nothing. He knew he wasn't supposed to know about the coup d'etat and if the Darkness of the World discovered he knew he would join his clan.

Sasuke missed his parents greatly, but three months in Tsukiyomi was more than enough time to grieve. He had to ensure the Uchiha survived and showed Konoha they could overcome the 'Curse of Hatred' his brother told him about. There was a loud part of him that wanted to hate Konoha. The Uchiha were just in their feelings of being oppressed and rejected by the village they helped found.

He would simply wait and see how he felt. The Third Hokage walked in and gave the Uchiha a sorrowful smile. Named after the Third's own father, Hiruzen felt some guilt about Sasuke. If only he had shown more initiative, maybe Itachi wouldn't have to endure such a burden.

After Sasuke told the Third and Danzo about the events as he remembered them, the Third asked how Sasuke was feeling. Sasuke decided to play his part and yelled and cursed his brother's name. Doing so caused a ping in his heart, but he ignored it. Sadden by his answer, the Third allowed Sasuke to leave the Hospital after they were done with all the tests.

Sasuke made his way back to the Troll District. He walked past the Yamanaka and Hyuuga districts and felt rage at how his clan was shoved to the back of the village. They could be probably monitored that way. While walking through the empty district, Sasuke saw the phantoms of his fallen clansmen. Their smiling faces now a haunting memory. One smile, no more like a grin, came to mind. It was a grin Shisui would give when he was feeling particularly mischievous. It was the only sign you got before Shisui would place you in an illusion too real to tell the difference. All of the Uchiha hated the face, seeing as it became their 'unoffical' symbol. The infamous 'Troll Face' illusion…

While Sasuke was walking home, he heard something. He knew he shouldn't hear anything in the empty district. Yet he knew he heard the sounds of training. He followed it to its source and was beyond pissed at what he saw. Some little Fae urchin was using HIS clan's training ground!

"What do you think you're doing, ya DOBE!" Sasuke yelled. Naruto stopped his training and glared at the little Troll.

"I'm training, duh. I didn't think anyone would be here." Naruto said with a shrug. He was tired from training anyway. He made off to leave, but Sasuke was having none of that.

"You can't just stroll onto private property and do as you please! I bet if it were the Hyuuga, or the Sarutobi you wouldn't DARE step foot on their land!" Sasuke lashed out. He didn't really know the kid, but the Fae wings was all he needed to know. The Fae and the Trolls always feuded. He felt his clan meant nothing to the village and Troll kind was under attack by the Fae.

"Ninja please. I'd pee in the Hyuuga's foutain and take a poop on the Monkey King: Enma statue in Sarutobi's front lawn." Naruto said dismissively. That honestly shocked Sasuke. Was the Fae serious? He could understand the Hyuuga, but the Sarutobi were well known Fae. Didn't the Fae boy care about that?

"You're bluffing…" Sasuke said.

"Tsk, ye of little faith… Follow me, Troll." Naruto said. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke."

"Man you Trolls sure do like to feel special. My name is 'Uchiha Sasuke'. Just Sasuke would have been fine." Naruto said while walking to the Hyuuga district.

"Hn. Whatever, Dobe." Sasuke grumbled. They walked to the Hyuuga district and it only then occurred to Sasuke he had no idea how the Fae boy would get inside.

"Time to prove why I am the best. After this, you will know the name, Uzumaki Naruto! In that case full name is necessary. Now be my distraction!" Naruto explained before he channeled his Solar Wind magic into a gust of green wind. It caught Sasuke and blew him over the walls and he crashed in a heap inside the district. "I hate Faes…" the Hyuuga were swift to capture him, but strangely missed Naruto. The blonde Fae snuck to the center garden, where the fountain was, and took a piss into the fountain. A scream could be heard and Naruto went pale when he saw a little Hyuuga Troll girl staring in shock. Her skin was pink and her Byakugan was lavender in color. He pulled up his pants and bolted out of the district. A second later, a furious Hiashi gave chase to both Sasuke and Naruto.

It was only thanks to Naruto channeling Solar Wind magic into his legs, giving them a boost in agility, that they managed to get away. That and Hiashi was too pissed to think of channeling Mystical Lightning magic into his legs to enhance his agility.

"I can't believe you did that, Naruto…" Sasuke panted. They found themselves deep in the forest outside the village gates. Naruto was on the ground trying to recover his Life Force. Channeling it into the legs and feet was extremely taxing, but it was needed.

"I told you, Ninja! I have not yet begun to fight!" Naruto said. He recovered soon enough and they entered the village again. They had to shake quite a few Hyuuga. It wasn't they could hide from the all seeing Byakugan. They were just too slick for the stiff Hyuuga to capture. Soon the Hyuuga decided it wasn't worth the continued embarrassment and gave up. Sasuke was mind blown. They made their way to the Sarutobi district. It was much more lax than the Hyuuga, with a few summoned monkeys roaming the grounds.

Naruto walked right in and climbed the Monkey King: Enma statue. "Attention all MONKEYS and the poop throwing dummies they call summoners! I am your king now!" With that being said, Naruto pulled down his pants and took a shit on top of Enma's stone head. The monkeys and Sasuke died lying. Naruto pulled up his pants and bolted! Sasuke ran the opposite way, but made a mental note to find the Fae boy. Uzumaki Naruto made a lasting impression.

Naruto ran back to the orphanage and wiped himself. He laid low for a few days to let tempers simmer. The Third honestly found it hilarious. His old Sentient Weapon, Monkey King: Enma was not amused. When he felt it was safe, Naruto cruised through Konoha. He was feeling pretty good about himself. He walked to the Uchiha training ground to continue training. Waiting for him was none other than Sasuke.

"I thought you would never stop hiding. For the new Monkey King, you sure seem real scared of the Trolls. The Hyuuga are nothing compared to the Uchiha." Sasuke said. He didn't really buy his own product, but felt like bluffing the blonde.

"Ninja, Naruto ain't scared of nobody! Especially not some cheating Trolls!" Naruto retorted. Sasuke grinned in a Troll like manner, "It's not cheating if you live to talk about it. All people are jealous of the Sharingan and for good reason. Not my fault I was born awesome."

"Tsk, Ninja please! I am WAY more awesome than you! I'm so awesome that the only reason you're remotely awesome is because I exist. You will forever be second best, Troll!" Naruto declared. That pissed the Uchiha off, "I am the descendant of Dragons! You are a little fairy boy!"

"Fairy boy?! Why I have half a mind to beat you senseless!" Naruto declared. The two eight year olds glared each other down. They both saw something in their exchange; understanding. They both ended up laughing over it all.

"I never did get to say what you did last we met was the most awesome thing I have seen. You didn't discriminate between the races. You didn't see race or clan name… It's kind of cool." Sasuke said. Naruto chuckled like a dork.

"Yeah well I am a pretty cool kid. I mean look at me… Who could resist?" Naruto asked cockily. Sasuke gave him a blank look, "Dobe…"

The two toddlers ended up training together at the Uchiha training grounds. Sasuke even gave Naruto some new kunai and shuriken and pointers on accuracy. Sasuke was far better at throwing weapons than Naruto was. Though his Sharingan code was inactive, his cybernetic eyes were still better and helped him with his accuracy. When it came to stamina and Life Force, Naruto was a tank. He just did not stop! It was almost monsterous!

It was night time in Konoha and the two toddlers lied on the ground, looking up at the starry sky. "I wonder if our parents are up there… Watching over us." Sasuke was shocked Naruto would say something like that.

"I heard about your parents from the Old Man. That sucks. I didn't know my parents, but I like to believe they wouldn't leave me alone if they were alive. All I have is hope really." Naruto said solemnly. Sasuke looked at the crestfallen Fae with deep understanding. He lost his parents, but at least he got to experience their love. Naruto didn't get that. In fact, his clan was all but eradicated before he was born. Sasuke had a few survivors to bond with and help start over his clan.

"Hn. Don't worry about it, Dobe. I'm sure they're in the Pure Land looking at us with pride. All we can do is make them more proud." Sasuke said surprising himself. Before meeting Naruto, he was ready to start making plans for another coup d'etat. Naruto changed all that. Maybe, just maybe, things could work out.

The Fae and Troll youths spent the week mostly training at the Uchiha training grounds. Sasuke thought the Uzumaki training methods were for crazy people. You had a choice between fire, wind, or earth traps. So basically did you want to be roasted, cut up, or buried alive! Fae, mostly the Uzumaki, were stamina freaks. They had bodies made to last. Trolls relied on their eyes and their wit. Sasuke preferred to read and apply what he learned.

Naruto felt obligated to share some of his gifts with Sasuke. He didn't know if they would be helpful, since Sasuke needed a medium before he could use either Solar or Mystical magic. Fae were naturally wired for Solar magic. Fae tended to VIOLENTLY or FATALY reject Mystical magic mediums. That didn't stop someone from giving Naruto scrolls on both areas. He long since made his own copies, so he let Sasuke have what he called the 'boring' editions.

Sasuke had access to the fabled Naka Shrine. It held all the Uchiha clan's secrets. Including its long list of acquired magical abilities. The Trolls are most infamous for taking Solar Fire magic from the Fae and using it to a greater effect than the Fae could. At least Uchiha Madara could make that claim. Still, Sasuke appreciated the scrolls.

Sasuke focused mostly on upgrading his eyes. He had the tools and even the knowledge to do so. He just lacked the experience needed. Naruto thought it was both weird and gross watching Sasuke literally work on his own eyes. His face would be eyeless and Sasuke STILL was able to accurately work!

The day finally came. The Academy was a fucking huge building located at the base of the Hokage Mountain. When I say huge, I mean sky scraper huge! It was the breeding grounds for Konoha's future warriors after all. Naruto met Sasuke at the Uchiha district and they walked to the Academy hand in hand. Pft yeah right! Naruto and Sasuke laughed at the mere idea of such foolishness! They did walk to the Academy together, but Sasuke was nibbling on a tomato and Naruto was looking at him like he was insane.

"Fresh veggies are disgusting…" Naruto said turning green. Sasuke made a show of eating the tomato and showing the blonde Fae the chewed remains. Naruto particularly puked and swore revenge. When they arrived they saw hundreds of children from ages 5 to 10 and their parents standing outside the doors.

"Man this year has a big turn out…" Naruto said. He didn't even know there were that many people in the village! Sasuke just scoffed.

"Please this is average. When my brother entered the Academy there were twice as many people. They were technically at war at the time though." Sasuke stated. All chatter ended when the Third Hokage gave his speech. He informed everyone of the aptitude tests required and gave a basic run down of what were dubbed 'Admission Requirements'.

1\. Love the village and hope to help preserve peace and prosperity.

2\. Have a mind that will not yield, able to endure hard training and work.

3\. Be healthy in mind and body.

Simple enough for even a child to understand. Love village, work hard, and stay fit. The aptitude test consisted of a written test designed to determine what your strengths and weaknesses were. A physical test, and assigning a medium depending on your race and if you met the requirements. The children were gathered inside and led to rooms based on last name. Sasuke and Naruto were sitting next to each other.

"Hey, Dobe. I bet you bomb the written test." Sasuke said with a grin. "First off, if you give me the Troll face again I will punch you in the face. Second… Man you're right…" looking at the test, Naruto started to panic! Sasuke glanced at his test and instantly noticed the illusion over the paper. He sighed and sent a spark of Life Force to dispel it. Naruto was still freaking out!

"For God's sake, would you shut up runt! I am trying to sleep and you're embarrassing yourself, but more importantly me! There is an illusion on the test you idiot. " A deep and menacing voice roared inside Naruto's head. Naruto jumped, figuring who the voice belonged to.

"I see you understand your place runt. Keep the respect coming, I eat that shit up." Kyuubi chuckled darkly. He was weakened far more than it cared to admit. That filthy Warlock, known as the Fourth Hokage, had taken literally half of its Life Force! It was literally getting cut in half and expecting your victim to die a slow death. Well, the great Kyuubi would not die by the hands of some puny Warlock or any of the races his father spawned. It would take time, but he would regain his power. He just had to wait…

"I see you got jokes, Kyuubi. Be careful, don't want to chock on a hairball." Naruto joked, not being able to help himself.

"HA! You're thinking of the Nibi. Its hairballs could lay waste to your whole village. So nice try runt. I have existed for centuries. You don't have jokes I can't turn against you. So keep spinning your web little spider. I will trap you in it then crush you." The Kyuubi stated. That honestly hurt Naruto a little. The blonde Fae dispelled the illusion and found the actual test easy enough. He couldn't answer all the questions, but more than enough to feel confident.

Once they finished the written test, they were led to the basement level of the Academy. They were impressed by the size of the training facility located beneath the Academy. Everyone could fit easily and it was wide and high enough to test for Life Force and any adverse effects that could occur. They were each tested in various physical aptitude tests.

When it was all said and done, Naruto was a few marks beneath Sasuke. The Uchiha rubbed it in his face constantly. After that test, those who passed who led to a certain floor depending on their race. Naruto was gathered with the other Fae on the fifth floor. The room was pretty Spartan except the shelves and racks of Sentient Weapons of all around the room. The children all ran around trying to find their 'Partner'.

In the Fae culture, one doesn't just pick a weapon. The weapon literally chose you. Back during the First World War, the Sentient Weapons would literally kill you if you weren't a match. It was only thanks to the Second Hokage that Konoha developed a way to counter that. Most Sentient Weapons nowadays had their full power sealed. Only their 'true wielder' could bring out their full power. Getting rejected no longer killed you, but it did hurt.

Naruto was no different from the other kids. He went for the biggest, most badass looking sword he could find. Too bad for him, he got rejected left and right. While some lucky kids got paired with swords, lances, bows, etc, Naruto couldn't get a single weapon to accept him. Naruto was ready to give up and then he saw a pair of daggers. They weren't badass looking or intimidating at all.

"Man with my luck, I bet these puny little knives are my Sentient Weapon…" Naruto grumbled. To his shock, the daggers sighed heavily. "You're the three hundredth child to diss me today…"

"Are you… Sad?" Naruto asked the pair of daggers. "Why wouldn't I be? No one ever wants me… I have offered myself to so many Warriors to be and not one has so much as looked my way…" That hit home for the blonde Abomination.

"Don't beat yourself up too much. I know a thing or two about being ignored… AY! How's about we see if I'm your true wielder?" Naruto asked with a foxy grin.

"Really? You want me as your weapon?" the pair of daggers asked. After years of collecting dust and watching others get chosen, was it finally its turn?

"You know it! With me as your wielder, you'll be the most infamous Sentient Weapon in all the Elemental Nations!" Naruto boasted. He went to pick up the pair of daggers, afraid he might get rejected again. He effortlessly picked up the daggers and the strangest thing occurred. His already immense Life Force was amplified and literally exploded in a gust of green Solar Wind! The winds were accepted inside the daggers and the blades took on a green tint.

"I promise I won't let you down! I won't stop until, Soyokaze is a name feared by our enemies!" Soyokaze declared with the utmost determination. Naruto cheered and left since the testing was over and Naruto he would be starting classes tomorrow. He met Sasuke outside the Academy and the two decided to test their new mediums.

Sasuke may have been a Troll, but all Trolls were capable of using either Solar or Mystical magic. Sasuke was upset he wasn't paired with a Sentient Weapon and thus followed the tradition of using Solar Fire magic.

"Look at it this way, you're your own person now. No one can say 'Sasuke is just like all the Uchiha Trolls with their stolen Solar Fire magic.'" Naruto tried to cheer him up. Sasuke thought about that. It was a tradition for all Uchiha to be paired with a Sentient Weapon to obtain Solar magic. Sasuke would be the first to be attuned to Mystical Magic. He was taken to the Fae weapon vault, but was rejected by all the weapons. He only went into the room with the magical crystals out of curiosity. It shocked everyone when a piece of Hematite crystal reacted to him. They tested him and found that he was attuned to Mystical magic. They infused the Hematite into his body and that was that.

"Hematite huh?... Is that like a black color? Man… You found a crystal as black as your soul. Freaky…" Naruto said with a shiver.

"I'll have you know, Hematite is a grounding and protective stone that energizes and vitalizes the body! It can help with optimism, determination, courage, self-esteem, and willpower!" Sasuke defended.

"Man you sound like you're straight out of a text book…" Naruto chuckled. The two youths went on to train using their mediums. Unknown to them, a little pink skinned Hyuuga watched them from a distant…

Done. I was going to end it sooner, but I figured I might as well show them entering the Academy. Just so everyone knows, Sasuke will be an important character. Not as much as Naruto obviously, but still important. How do you all feel about Naruto and Sasuke's dynamic so far?


	3. Chapter 3

It was the first day of the Academy and Naruto couldn't contain his excitement! After training with Sasuke, Naruto informed the Third about the Kyuubi's awakening. It was decided the village spell master, the fabled Jiraiya of the Legendary San Senshi (Three Warriors), would take a look at the spell keeping the Kyuubi at bay. It would take time though, so Naruto was cautioned to ignore the titanic fox. He spent last night trying and failing to sleep due to his excitement. He ended up doing light physical exercise until he passed out.

When Naruto woke up, he waited on the other orphans to shower before he took his. They always made him go last so he never got hot water. It was extremely petty of them, but Naruto didn't care. He showered and made sure he was ready. He made sure his pouch was equipped with everything he needed and left for the Academy. When he arrived he found he was the third person to arrive. The first was Sasuke and the other caused Naruto to swear to himself.

"AW MAN! I just HAD to be put in the same class as her…" Naruto groaned mentally. The other classmate was the same Hyuuga girl he pretty much flashed his junk to. She had fair pink skin, shoulder length, dark blue, hair styled in a hime cut, wore a light lavender, long sleeved kimono-style blouse with vertical lines, tied with a dark purple obi around her waist, and a pair of short dark navy shorts with thigh-high stockings and black high-heeled boots.

"Man… Even her clothes scream 'I'm too good for you…'" Naruto sighed mentally. He highly doubted she would want to be his friend, especially after he pissed in her fountain. With that, the blonde Abomination sat next to Sasuke and annoyed him with name calling.

Hinata looked at the Fae boy who had been on her mind a lot since he… Relieved himself in her family fountain. It was the bravest thing she had ever witnessed. True, it was childish, but who else could claim what he did and NOT pay for it with a Gentle Fist induced coma. Hinata hadn't known the boy for long, a few days tops. She was aware of the general dislike from the populace towards him, but it didn't seem to bring him down. Perhaps if she shadowed him more, she would find the key to his strength?

Strength. Something her clan valued and she lacked. She sighed deeply when she thought of all her flaws and weaknesses. The Academy was her last chance to prove she wasn't weak and useless. Soon more children piled into the class. Some were quiet, others… Not so much.

"Eat it, Ino-Pig! I beat you to the…" a pink haired Fae screamed before she stopped in her tracks. "Oh God… It's Sasuke-kun! In my class! The power of love is real!" While ignoring Naruto, who wouldn't shut up about 'Ramen' and 'How much Trolls suck', Sasuke shivered. It was the only warning he got, before the room was filled with kids. The girls, from Fae to Witch to Troll, all fawned over him. Sasuke just sighed, seeing how his brother told him about girls known as 'fangirls'…

Naruto was annoyed. Not that the girls were paying so much attention to Sasuke; he figured he just placed them under some illusion like the Troll he was. No, Naruto was annoyed because he was being ignored, again. He figured he had a shot with kids around his age, but every time he tried to talk to someone they would ignore him or tell him to go away. Only people left to talk to was some quiet Aburame kid, that one Hyuuga girl, an Akimichi, a Nara, and an Inuzuka.

Taking a moment to observe them, Naruto realized they were all clan heirs. The Aburame was dressed in a lot of gray and the only skin he showed was his face and that was barely. Unlike other Fae, the Aburame had beetle like wings. The Akimichi was… Well-rounded with equally adjusted wings. His attire was ridiculous… To the point Naruto was embarrassed for him. The Nara had light gray skin, pineapple hairstyle, and was currently asleep. The Inuzuka was short a Ninken, but sported everything else typical of a Lycan. He was bestial looking alright. Deciding to talk to the Nara first, Naruto went over to the boy and touched him. He was surprised when his AOE canceled out sparks of Mystical Lightning magic.

"Man, what a drag… I was just about to solve something real important… You threw off my groove…" The Nara drawled. The young Nara liked to sleep, but what many didn't know was the reason he loved sleep was because he could use his magic to control his dreams. By controlling the charged particles in his brain during sleep, he could control what images he saw, quality of dreams, etc.

"Looked like you were sleeping to me… Anyway, my name is Uzumaki Naruto. Future Hokage!" Naruto cheered.

"Ah yes. An Uzumaki. One of the great Fae clans, almost eradicated to extinction during the Third World War. The name is Shikamaru. Future cloud watcher and doer of nothing…" Shikamaru stated. Naruto laughed and shook the Nara's hand. With that over, Shikamaru went back to dreaming.

"Shika is always like that, but if you could control your dreams you would sleep all the time too. My name is Akimichi Choji!" Choji introduced and even offered the blonde Abomination some snacks. Naruto knew enough about the Akimichi to know you NEVER turn down food from them. It was highly disrespectful. So Naruto accepted the snack and thanked the friendly Akimichi. "If you want… I know this really good Ramen place… We could go have a bowl there, my treat."

Choji was truly touched. Not only did the Blonde not make fun of him for being… Bigger, he offered to buy him food! "Deal! This is the start of a beautiful friendship, Naruto!" Naruto's heart filled with joy. He had made two friends, three if Sasuke was included! That was the most he had ever had in his young life!

He tried to go back to his seat, but noticed the pink haired Fae girl in it. "Uh that's my seat…"

"Not anymore. Get lost already! So Sasuke-kun, what do you like to do with your free time? I like to read, do my hair…" The Fae girl went on and on. Sasuke groaned and got out of his seat. "Come on, Dobe. There's some seats by that Hyuuga girl up there." Hinata let out an "Eep!" And went from pink to red real quick. She tried to hide within her blouse, but failed miserably.

Naruto shrugged and the two youths went to set next to Hinata. Sasuke sat in the corner so Hinata was in the middle of them. That way, none of the fangirls could sit next to him. The Hyuuga girl didn't seem to be one of them, which was good in his book. Sasuke had other things to worry about than girls. There were older Uchiha left to worry about girls and rebuilding the clan.

Both Naruto and Hinata were blushing from embarrassment. For once, Naruto honestly didn't know what to say. Should he apologize? No, what he did was hilarious and he wouldn't nor shouldn't feel sorry for being funny. He also didn't want to deny what he did. That would make him a coward. Still, he did flash her and that wasn't appropriate; even he knew that.

"So…" Naruto started, hoping she said something. Maybe she would yell and call him a pervert, or hit him. Maybe she would cry! Aw man that made him feel horrible!

"I'm sorry!" Hinata said as softly as a mouse. To her surprise, Naruto heard her.

"Why are you sorry? It's not like you did anything to me to be sorry for. I should be the one saying sorry. Not for peeing in your fountain, that was funny. For… Well you know…" Naruto said while scratching the back of his head sheepishly. Hinata's blush became several shades redder making her hot crimson.

"Whoa, your face is so red. Do you have a fever or something?" Naruto asked. He absentmindedly felt her forehead and poor Hinata couldn't take it anymore. She fainted and caused Naruto to panic. Sasuke laughed a genuine laugh. It was from the heart. He couldn't help it. That had to be the cutest thing he had seen in his young life! All the girls said "AW!"

"What happened?" Naruto asked everyone. The girls just sighed and Sasuke laughed harder, "Good ol' Dobe! I might tell you one day."

"I swear man… Trolls are weird." Naruto said. Too bad Hinata chose then to come to. She didn't know why, but hearing him say that made her feel insecure about being a Troll. It wasn't the first time someone made fun of her for being a Troll. Calling her a cheater, weird eye, etc. It was always under their breath, but Hinata could read lips. Soon two Seasoned Warriors walked in.

"Good day class. I am Umino Iruka and this is my assistant, Mizuki." A Fae man with a scar across his nose said. His assistant, who scoffed at the mere notion just smiled and waved. Naruto could instinctually tell it was forced. He could strangely feel the negative emotions rolling off him and just about anyone really. If he tried he could even feel positive emotions. Iruka went on to explain a few things about their future as Warriors of the Hidden Leaf.

First Iruka explained the ranks: Fresh Warriors were literally fresh out of the Academy and thus the lowest; the grunts so to speak. The Seasoned Warriors had a few years under their belts. They weren't the strongest, but they weren't the weakest either. Next came the Elite Warriors, who were generally the cream of the crop. They were usually war veterans or just plain bad asses. The higher ranks depended on your village.

Konoha had Specialized Warriors, or Warriors with Elite training in a certain field, but lacked the well-roundedness to be an Elite. They had the Anbu Black Ops, who were generally above the Elite even. The Black Ops only reported to the Hokage and were known to take the highest and deadliest missions.

Next came the legendary Warriors, the San Senshi. Iruka explained they would spend the day learning about them and other important figures of Konohagakure. The kids groaned, but Iruka shut them down with the swiftness. The kids were shocked and terrified of the Seasoned Warrior. He instructed everyone to open their scrolls and apply Life Force to it. They did as instructed, though a lot of them needed help. When they all did, information appeared on the scrolls.

"We were fortunate enough that one of Jiraiya-sama's personal 'Recording Toads' was able to witness the fabled battle between him and his teammates against Hanzo the Salamander. The toad then transferred the memories into a scroll and, after a few years, was able to make scrolls for others to see the battle. The kids were mesmerized by the thrilling battle.

Jiraiya fought valiantly with his toads, using their oils to counteract Hanzo's poisons. Senju Tsunade became an instant role model for the young female Warriors in training. She was scary strong, able to literally lift Hanzo's boss slug up and throw it! Her giant Slug was also critical to their survival. Orochimaru showed why he was a genius. His use of snakes and Solar Wind magic was rivaled only by the infamous Uzumaki clan.

Speaking of, Iruka said they had scrolls on Konoha's own Bloody Crimson Fae, Uzumaki Kushina, battle against Kumogakure. He said he would show it another day. Naruto couldn't wait to see his mother in action! To have a moniker like Bloody Crimson Fae was awesome! Not as awesome as the Flash Fae, Namikaze Minato, but still. Despite the intensity and mastery they showed, Hanzo was too strong for the, at the time, young Warriors. Still, Hanzo was so impressed he called them the Legendary San Senshi.

"Man I don't think I would want to be famous for getting my butt kicked…" Naruto whispered to Sasuke. Hinata giggled which made Naruto smile. "I agree. True the San Senshi are three of the best Warriors to come out of Konoha, but Hanzo could have killed them. Forget being impressed, they showed that they were a threat. I would have ended the threat then and there, but alas. Pride is a deadly sin for a reason."

Iruka went on to explain how Life Force worked. Life Force was a source of energy made up of physical energy, or the energy produced by your body naturally, and the Cosmos, or the energy granted from celestial objects such as the sun, moon, etc. Emotions also played a part in Life Force, since it was able to either amplify or hamper your overall magic. That was why it was important to follow these rules:

• "A Warrior must always put the mission first."

• "A Warrior must never show their tears."

• "A Warrior must see the hidden meanings within the hidden meanings."

• "A Warrior must follow their commander's instructions."

• "A Warrior must prepare before it is too late to."

• "A Warrior must never show any weakness."

"With that being said, I want you all to understand these rules are just a guideline. They are not infallible and it is up to each of you to develop your own 'Warrior's Code' and rules." Iruka explained. Naruto thought hard about the rules and what he wanted his own Warrior Code to be. He couldn't figure it out just yet, but he wouldn't give up until he did! Then he would find something else to achieve!

They went on to teach the kids about the core curriculum they would undergo. They would study the basics such as reading, writing, mathematics, science, geography, etc. They were given a break for lunch. The girls all swarmed Sasuke and formed a perimeter around him too big for Naruto to get to.

"Hey, Naruto right? Choji and I were going to the roof to eat and cloud gaze. Wanna come? You can come too, Hinata." Shikamaru asked dryly. It didn't matter one way or another if they came. If they did, the Nara potentially gained two friends, one a fellow heir. If not it still looked good for him.

"Thank you, but I wouldn't want to be a bother…" Hinata said meekly. Naruto was having none of that.

"Don't be silly. The more the merry I always say!" Naruto said. He knew the only way to beat the awkwardness between him and the Hyuuga girl was to attack it head on!

"I can't say no now… He's practically insisting I go! What if I say something wrong or they fund out I'm weak and not good enough to be with them…" Hinata lamented to herself. She summoned all the courage she could muster and nodded sheepishly.

"That's a yes in my book! To the roof!" Naruto cheered! He ran out the room and up the stairs like a sonic boom. He even left a small breeze behind. "Well at least he isn't boring…" Shikamaru, Choji, and a giggling Hinata went to eat lunch on the roof at a more ginger pace.

Once on the roof the group of kids took out their meals. Shikamaru had a bento box of his favorite food, mackerel and kelp. He was ready to smile and silently thank his mother, until he saw the boiled eggs with a note. 'Next time don't be lazy and do your CHORES! Love your mother.'

"Man, women are a real drag… Especially Witches… Then again, it doesn't matter what the race. The female gender is just a major drag." Shikamaru sighed. He gave the eggs to Choji, who had a bunch of junk food for lunch. Hinata had a simple and elegant bento box. Naruto was embarrassed since he didn't have anything. Hinata noticed and smiled.

"I have an extra box if you want it… Naruto-kun." Hinata almost whispered. Naruto couldn't believe it! He was more than willing to wait until after the Academy to eat. It wasn't like the orphanage would give him a lunch. He gladly accepted the box and ate it swiftly.

"Is this what a home cooked meal tastes like?!" Naruto asked in amazement.

"You've never had a home cooked meal?" Choji asked in shock! How could ANYONE not have had a home cooked meal? A meal made with love and seemed tastier than any dish out there! Naruto just shrugged.

"I am an orphan. I am lucky to get an extra serving of what the orphanage cook calls a meal. Just all the food groups mashed together into a nasty paste…" Naruto said turning pale just thinking of it. The clan heirs/heiress felt sympathy for the blonde Fae. They each had a family, hell a whole clan! They were surrounded by people who loved them, well tolerated them in Hinata's case, while Naruto was ignored if he were lucky.

"I could bring you a bento box if you wouldn't mind…" Hinata said shyly.

"Deal! I guess I can just treat you and Choji to Ichiraku Ramen today after the Academy to make us even." Naruto said. The four kids chatted idly amongst each other. Naruto and Choji were the most verbal of the group. They talked adamantly about food of various kinds. Naruto really loved the snack daifuku, it could have been because the Third treated him to it a few times. Choji loved all snacks; he couldn't pick a favorite.

Shikamaru just cloud gazed and Hinata just sat there shyly. She didn't know what to do, so she just went into her habit of doing the 'Shy Finger', or twiddling her two forefingers together. Little did she know, her nervousness manifested in the form of sparks that grew stronger the more she did the 'Shy Finger'.

"Whoa, look at Hinata go! Let's use our free time to train!" Naruto cheered. He pulled out Soyokaze, who yawned. After Naruto and her bonded, the wind spirit had to rest. Turned out Naruto had a SHIT TON OF LIFE FORCE! That's NOT including the Kyuubi. Soyokaze had access to Naruto's memories and vice versa. She knew about the giant kitsune and was waiting for it to contact her. Anyway, Naruto's overabundance of Life Force was a lot to take in. She was surprised she wasn't destroyed by the sheer force of it all. Luckily she survived, but was really tired.

"Come on, Soyokaze! We're supposed to be the ultimate tag team here! Let's get to training!" Naruto whined. Hinata stopped her fidgeting and the sparks stopped. Hinata didn't consider her habit training, but the traces of charged particles dancing across her hands proved otherwise. Usually, gathering even a small amount was taxing, but she didn't even noticed when she did it that way. She did the 'Shy Finger' and was pleasantly surprised when she saw sparks gathering.

Soyokaze sighed, and began to channel Naruto's Life Force and amplify it into a more refined state. A gentle breeze gathered around the Blonde Fae. Naruto expanded his AOE further thanks to Soyokaze. Choji felt left out, so he put on a pair of gauntlets.

"Woo! It's about time you brought me out! So who's head are we caving in?" The Sentient Weapon asked. Choji just sighed, "It's just training, Ikuji…"

"Oh… Well that's cool too. Gotta keep sharp after all! Just punch me on something and I'll do the rest!" Ikuji instructed. Choji did as told and punched Ikuji into the roof. The gauntlets used the minerals in the roof to refine itself and grow stronger with each punch. Shikamaru passively channeled charged particles in his brain while he watched the clouds drift by.

Soon the bell rang signaling lunch was over. Everyone stopped training and went back to class. Naruto and Choji put their Sentient Weapons away as they were not permitted in class and only allowed during spars or training.

They spent the rest of the day watching some of Jiraiya's battles alongside the other two San Senshi in the Second World War. The girls really inspired to be like Tsunade, while Naruto seemed to gravitate towards Jiraiya and his devastating wide-scale attacks. Sasuke favored Orochimaru, who was as stealthy as a cloak and as deadly as a dagger. After they watched a few battles, Iruka led everyone outside to finish the day with a spar.

The first year of the Academy was learning basics. They needed to know how to read, write, spell, do math, know the basic geography of their areas, etc. In order to foster strong bodies throughout their tenure in the Academy, daily spars were required. Naruto didn't pay too much attention to most of the spars. Shino easily dominated his opponent without even using his kikaichu. Choji beat his opponent with a lot of difficulty. Shikamaru just quit.

Naruto cheered Hinata on when she was chosen to spar against the pink haired Fae, Haruno Sakura. Hinata didn't want to hurt the Fae girl, but her fear of being seen as weak by Naruto easily out won her meekness. Sakura and Hinata performed the Seal of Confirmation and sprung into battle. Hinata activated her Byakugan, her once big lavender eyes focused into small violet dots, and used the charged particles she gathered early to decent effect. She gained a small boost in her ability. It was enough to cross the distance between them and get within Sakura's defenses.

Hinata used her Gentle Fist to strike Sakura in key pressure point nodes used to release Life Force. Sakura tried to defend, but all that did was give Hinata new targets. Thanks to her Byakugan, Hinata could see Sakura's pressure points in her arms. Hinata injected sparks of her Life Force, in the form of sharp needles, into Sakura's arms and rendered them useless. With her arms limp at her sides, Sakura was defenseless and forfeited just as Hinata was about to inject more of her Life Force into her. The two girls did the Seal of Reconciliation, though Sakura was a little reluctant and had to get the foreign Life Force painfully purged from her body.

Naruto was ecstatic! He congratulated Hinata, who blushes several shades of red. Sakura was thoroughly embarrassed and in front of Sasuke no less! The other girls picked on her and the pink haired girl cried. Inside her mind something was born… The Inuzuka dominated his opponent and proclaimed himself the 'Alpha' of the class; Naruto rolled his eyes.

A Yamanaka Troll girl, with blonde hair in a ponytail stepped up to spar with a little Fae girl with purple hair. They did the Seal of Confirmation and ended the spar with the Seal of Reconciliation almost just as swiftly. The Yamanaka Troll girl, named Ino, made short work of the Fae girl. Iruka had to stop the fight when Ino got ahold of the Fae girl's wings. Sakura watched with amazement. Ino fought with such confidence and bravery.

After that, the battles were irrelevant. Naruto just groaned. That was until it was his turn! Uchiha Sasuke vs Uzumaki Naruto. The blonde Fae and Uchiha Troll both smirked.

"It seems we were fated to battle, Uchiha Sparky!" Naruto taunted. A tick mark appeared on the Uchiha Troll's head, but he smirked trollishly.

"Let the history scrolls state that I won the first round, Dobe." Sasuke taunted back. Naruto pulled out Soyokaze, who was fully awake and ready for battle. Sasuke focused on the medium inside his body and channeled charged particles throughout his body. He got a good boost in his physical attributes. The two opposing forces did the Seal of Confirmation and Sasuke started things off by shooting towards Naruto at break neck speeds! Naruto was honestly caught off guard by the speed, but his AOE shocked Sasuke even more.

When the Uchiha Troll stepped into it, his speed was drastically slowed down. Instead of appearing in front of Naruto in a burst of speed, Sasuke ended up almost falling to his knees a few feet away from the blonde Fae. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, Naruto went to end the spar, but his swings were sloppy. Sasuke still had enough wits to dodge the poor swings.

Sasuke realized his mistake; wind beat lightning. By charging his body with charged particles, he effectively made his body vulnerable to wind based magic. When cut off from its energy supply, the body goes through a form of withdrawal. Sasuke gained some distance from the blonde and tried to think of a solution.

Luckily for Sasuke, Naruto didn't seem to know about the magic weaknesses. The blonde Fae didn't seem to try to extend his AOE and further trip him up. Soyokaze TRIED to tell Naruto, but the blonde was too arrogant to listen. He wanted to show off and show everyone he was worth noticing!

Naruto channeled large amounts of Life Force into Soyokaze, who was forced to refine it into Solar Wind magic and unleash it as gusts of razor sharp winds. Sasuke was hard pressed to dodge the violent winds, even more so since it had the added effect of dispersing the charged particles in the area.

Just when Sasuke thought he was going to be blown away, he noticed the clearly visible green winds spiraling around Naruto. It was like a wall of green wind and that's when an idea hit him. He gathered what little charged particles he could and shot a spark of lightning at the grass near the wind wall. A small spark of fire swiftly ignited the wind wall in a burst of flames! Mizuki swiftly used Mystical Water magic to douse the flames and saved Naruto. The blonde Fae managed to get out of the inferno just in time, but he walked right into Sasuke's trap.

The Uchiha Troll punched Naruto in the gut with a super particle charged blow. Traces of lightning entered Naruto's body and paralyzed him long enough for Sasuke to 'kill' him, ending the spar.

Iruka called for the two to perform the Seal of Reconciliation. Sasuke smirked his troll smirk and offered to perform the seal. Naruto was dejected. Soyokaze was scolding him for his arrogance and refusal to listen. She damn near DEMANDED he accept and perform the Seal of Reconciliation. Naruto was sore and didn't want to, but a few cuts from Soyokaze made him cave. They performed the Seal of Reconciliation.

"Looks like you owe me, Dobe." Sasuke said.

"You know, it's really rude to insult someone you want something from. With that said, I guess I can give you a tomato from my garden." Naruto said. He sighed and just smiled. He had many more spars to learn from after all.

The first day of the Academy was over. All the girls, minus Hinata, tried to find Sasuke to ask him if he wanted to hang out. The Uchiha Troll easily slipped the fangirls and met up with Naruto, Choji, Shikamaru, and Hinata at Ichiraku Ramen. Naruto was a Fae of his word and gave Sasuke not one, but two tomatos. One he threw at the Uchiha Troll's face, the other he let Sasuke eat.

Ayame smiled and made sure her 'little brother's' new friends enjoyed their visit. She chatted with each of them and got a read on their personalities so far. The Nara was as lazy as they came. The Akimichi was just as jolly as to be expected from a member of his clan. The Uchiha was actually rather polite and pleasant to talk to if you knew what to talk about. He clearly took being a Warrior EXTREMELY serious.

Ayame took a special interest in the Hyuuga girl. Hinata was simply out elegant, but that was to be expected of the Hyuuga Heiress. What Ayame really liked was her interest in her 'little brother'. They were too young to know it, but Hinata clearly had budding feelings for the blonde Fae. Hinata, in turn, liked Ayame. Naruto seemed rather close to the Fae teen girl and vice versa. Most people treated Naruto so wrongly in Hinata's eyes. It was refreshing to see the kindness their village was famous for directed to the forsaken hero.

Soon it was time for the group to go their separate ways. They all agreed to meet up and train after the Academy. Shikamaru, Choji, and Hinata just had to clear it with their parents. Naruto was on his way to the orphanage, when Sasuke stopped him.

"Why don't you just use one of the Uchiha Clan houses? There are so many empty homes… It would be nice to see a little more life in the district again." Sasuke suggested. Naruto was almost moved to tears. "Is that allowed? What about the surviving Uchiha members?"

"Tsk, they avoid the district at all costs. They think it is cursed and any Uchiha who lives there will be killed. They have blended in with the village for the most part, so it is still pretty much empty. Would be abandoned if not for me." Sasuke said bitterly. He didn't see those cowards as Uchiha. They were too scared of his brother to even live in the homes they grew up in. Homes their ancestors fought over and died for.

"But non-Uchiha's are cool right?" Naruto asked warily. He wouldn't live in a haunted district! Sasuke just sighed, "Yeah, Dobe… You should be fine from the curse."

"Bet! Ay, we can train whenever we want this way!" Naruto cheered! Sasuke sighed but smiled. So long as the blonde Fae stayed in a house FAR away from him, it could honestly work out.

"Oh, I had better tell the Old Man I'm not going back to the orphanage. Not like anyone will miss me. This is awesome!" Naruto just kept on cheering that day it seemed.

"Is this 'Old Man' the patriarch of the orphanage?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah right. That old bastard is the worse. I'm talking about Old Man Sarutobi! The clan head of the Sarutobi clan and the Third Hokage. People call him Sarutobi-sama, Hokage-sama, some even call him Hiruzen-dono. I just call him what he is, an Old Man." Naruto said nonchalantly. Sasuke was surprised at first, until he thought about it. The day he met the blonde Fae, he took a shit on the Sarutobi clan Monkey King: Enma statue AND pissed in the Hyuuga clan fountain. Calling the clan head and the current Hokage an 'Old Man' was right up his alley.

"You sure seem close to the Hokage…" Sasuke said. From Itachi's memories, he knew the Hokage wasn't directly involved in the Uchiha Downfall, but he still didn't trust the Hokage. He felt the Hokage was an empty title and the true power was behind the Council. The Hokage was in charge of the military true, but the village itself seemed in the hands of others.

The Uchiha Downfall was the prime example. Danzo seemed set on collecting his clan's fabled Sharingan for himself. Itachi showed him that the old war hawk was in possession of Shisui's right eye. Sasuke didn't know the complete mechanics and specs of Shisui's Sharingan, but Itachi knew enough to estimate. Shisui was perhaps the BIGGEST Troll of all time.

Shisui's Magenkyo Sharingan held, what many believed to be, the highest caliber of Mystical Darkness illusion magic. No one knew how the Magenkyo Sharingan granted the user control over both Mystical and Solar magic separately in either eye. What was known was that Shisui's illusion, the Kotoamatsukami, casts a powerful yet subtle illusion on the victim. Sasuke didn't know how it worked, but Shisui planned to use it to manipulate his father and the rebels from going through with the coup d'etat. If not for Danzo, it may have succeeded.

The two youths made their way to the Academy where the Administrative Office was located. Many people thought the Hokage's Residence, a manor for the Hokage, was actually where the Hokage did business such as assigning missions and what not. That wasn't true, Naruto knew that from the many visits he paid the Old Man. The manor, dubbed the Hokage Tower, was more a symbol than anything. It was the biggest structure in the village to showcase the Hokage's reign over the village.

Naruto spent the trip talking. Mostly to distract both Sasuke and himself from the negativity the villagers directed at him. Too bad Sasuke was too perspective and noticed. Luckily the Uchiha Troll chalked it up to the blonde Fae pulling one too many pranks.

When they arrived, the secretary looked at Naruto dryly, "He's not in a meeting, but he is busy. Then again, you probably don't care enough to stay and ask me…" It was true. Naruto didn't even bother to stop. He was at least nice enough to say good afternoon. He entered the office and saw the Third and his staff going through mountains of paperwork.

"Ah, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun. What brings you two here?" The Third asked politely. He was just happy to have a break from the constant paperwork. Or at least, his Corporeal Clone was happy. The real Sarutobi Hiruzen was in a private training grounds, trying to keep his skills up to par. He knew the limited years of peace and old age took a toll on him. He wasn't the Warrior Supreme he once was, but he wasn't weak nor stupid.

Tenzo and the two squads of Anbu assigned to help the Third with his training learned that the hard way. Tenzo's Solar Earth: Wood magic paled in comparison to Hiruzen's sensei, Hashirama.

"Hey Old Man! So listen, Sasuke offered to let me stay in one of the abandoned Uchiha houses and I just wanted to let you know so you can stop sending money to that dump." Naruto announced. The Corporeal Clone was honestly happy with the news. Naruto had a knack for bringing the best out of people. Perhaps he could save the young Uchiha Troll from the Curse of Hatred. Though Sasuke was starting to see it less a Curse and more a Blessing. Let people hate him, he would turn that hate into motivation!

"Well there is clearly a lot of paperwork to fill out, but you let me worry about that. It technically belongs to Sasuke so as long as he is alright with it, I don't see why not. Oh and try to list to your Sentient Weapon more, Naruto-kun. It could end up saving your life." The Third said shocking the blonde Fae.

"I knew someone was watching me! Stop it right now ya Old Perv! I swear I will leak 'The Unmentionable' to the female population of Konoha!" Naruto threatened. The Third smirked.

"Please, I think I can keep that under wraps. I have had Warriors your age with ten times your creativity be baffled by my wit. I have an entire department of Warriors dedicated to keeping village and my own securities secret." The Third said simply. "So I've noticed. I didn't really notice them until I started training in Solar magic. They really suck if an eight year old can detect them."

"Duly noted." The Third said, writing it down and ordering an Anbu to rely the message to the division. The Third may have been known as the Professor, but even he knew he was a bit naïve. The Will of Fire was indeed a fine philosophy to follow, but maybe he was too literal and sentimental for his own good.

He was too soft and he knew it. He allowed Danzo to create the Root to deal with the 'Darkness' of the Warrior's World because he didn't want to get his hands dirty. He didn't want to face the reality everything couldn't be solved with kind words and paper treaties. That all changed when Biwako died. He could no longer see the world through rose tinted lenses. Naruto cheered and left with Sasuke. It was the start of their journeys and while they walked different paths, it was nice to have a comrade they could rely on.

AND that's the end of that chapter. Hope you enjoyed. Sorry to be so short, just want to start writing the next chapter as soon as possible


	4. Chapter 4

So I don't get banned. I don't own Naruto. This is my disclaimer.

It was October 10th, four years into the future. It was a typical day weather wise. Still nice and brisk, with the tree leaves turning various shades of red, yellow, and brown. Children of all kinds played in the many piles of leaves. Soon a team of Genin would be assigned to clean them (read burn them with Solar Fire magic). Contrary to popular belief, there was no 'Kyuubi's Defeat Festival', where the village throws a big party in celebration of those who sacrificed their lives to defeat the Kyuubi.

Most people went about their day as if it were any other day. Same vendors selling their goods, same people doing the same thing. It honestly wasn't that big of a deal. At least not to the populace of Konohagakure. To one Uzumaki Naruto, it was the biggest day of the year! He turned 12 that day. He had been in the Academy for 4 long years and he was only halfway done…

Still it wasn't all bad. He had his friends to keep him from dying of boredom and keep his skills within the top of the class; physically speaking. He tanked at the academic side of the Academy but man he KILLED at the Warrior side. So much so that he was ranked within the top 10 of his class.

The first year was all about learning how to write and what not. Naruto found that he enjoyed writing. Not the assignments mind you, just writing in general. He would make little fanfictions of his life when he was bored in class. Iruka usually yelled at him, but the questions were so easy, Naruto didn't need to pay attention half the time. Naruto hated math, but Hinata and Shikamaru were a big help in that department.

The second year was where Naruto shined. That year they started the Combat training. They learned the basics of how to throw a punch, kick properly, etc. How to throw kunai and shurikens. They also awakened their Life Forces and began to learn about Magical Combat. All the Faes were paired with Sentient Weapons, if they hadn't been already. All the Witches/Warlocks were given their crystal mediums, along with any Trolls who showed compatibility. Training in wielding Sentient Weapons was handled by an Anbu who used an illusion to hide any distinguishing features. It was really creepy how he was pretty much a ghost. He had this creepy 'ghoul eye' stare that just freaked you right the fuck out.

The third year was more so an advanced version of year two. Learn how to better bond with your Sentient Weapon/medium and thus get better with Life Force. They also focused on either building up your reserves or building your control. When it came to reserves it was ranked:

1\. Uzumaki Naruto. By an immense margin. In fact, Naruto was said to have more chakra than even Sarutobi Hiruzen did at his age.

2\. Uchiha Sasuke. He had above average reserves easily.

3\. Akimichi Choji. He had a little above average reserves due to his clan's ability to convert fat into chakra. Of course, Choji was nowhere near mastering that skill.

4\. Nara Shikamaru. He had average reserves for a member of the Nara clan.

5\. Inuzuka Kiba. He would have been higher, but Inuzuka's share chakra with their Familiars. His Familiar, Akamaru, was still a pup and needed the extra Life Force.

The fourth year hurt Naruto's pride. He had the absolute WORST control over his Life Force seen in the history of Konoha. No one had ever scored negatives in control. The only way to even GET negatives is if you used Life Force while trying to control it. That meant it took EXTRA Life Force just for him to TRY to control it. He didn't let that damper his friends' spirits. When it came to control it was ranked:

1\. Hyuuga Hinata, and strangely enough, Haruno Sakura were tied. They had precise control over their Life Force. The only reason they tied was because Hinata had more Life Force than Sakura, but not as precise control. It was a well known fact that the more Life Force you had, the harder it was to control.

2\. Nara Shikamaru. His clan skills required precise Life Force control. He only placed here by a few points.

3\. Yamanaka Ino. Her clan skills, which included sensory abilities, also required precise control.

4\. Aburame Shino. What he lacked in reserves, due to his kikachi, he made up for with control.

5\. Uchiha Sasuke. He wasn't a slouch in the control department. Had to beat Naruto in something.

"Only four more years to go… Man, why did that bastard, Itachi, have to go nuts and mess it up for the rest of us." Naruto sighed. It was "officially" declared at the end of the Third World War by the Daimyos universally. By the end of the war, the winning Daimyo, Fire, suggested an end to sending children to fight in wars and battles in general. So it was decided children would have to stay in the Academy for eight years, thus making the average and recommended Genin age: 16.

Every village, after a few years, accepted this. Konohagakure and Kirigakure were the last two to finally adapt this into their Academies. Kirigakure adapted it after Momochi Zabuza slaughtered an entire graduating class, without even being a student himself! Konohagakure after Itachi slaughtered more than half his clan in a single night. It was clear to everyone that giving children under the age of twelve untold power and authority probably wasn't the best idea.

"Stop bitching, Naruto. You need all the time you can get! Four years and we're only 12.5% in sync with each other! How can we be the 'Ultimate Tag Team' if we can't work together?" Soyokaze asked. Truth be told, she LOVED being Naruto's Sentient Weapon. After losing to Sasuke, the blonde Fae actually listened to her without complaint. Despite what Naruto thought, Soyokaze was really experienced. To the point she was first made when the Warring State Period was hot and relevant!

That meant the much more experienced Soyokaze had to make up for Naruto's lack of experience. When it came to Soyokaze synchronizing with Naruto she was easily at 25%. She would have been higher, but the Kyuubi made things difficult. Luckily, the beast was asleep for most of these four years. It only stirred when she tried to get a feel for its Life Force.

"My bad, Soyo-ane. (Ane is the proper way to refer to one's own older sister.) It's not easy shifting through ALL that Life Force! I can't tell where my own starts and ends thanks to the Kyuubi." Naruto sulked.

"It's cool. I like a challenge! So, how are we going to spend your big day?" Soyokaze asked. She didn't want to give anything away. She could feel an all too familiar Life Force 'viewing' her wielder. Soyokaze found it cute. She didn't think Hinata was some crazy stalker who followed Naruto around everywhere hoping he noticed her. The Hyuuga was pretty much a staple in Naruto's life. She had 'viewed' Naruto dozens upon hundreds of times using her Byakugan during training so Soyokaze always knew when the Hyuuva girl was using her Byakugan on her partner.

"I'm probably just going to do what I do every year. Go to Ichiraku Ramen and eat until I hate myself, which never happens. So most likely until I pass out. Sounds great to me!" Naruto cheered. Soyokaze giggled. Everything was going just as planned…

Meanwhile, Sasuke and the rest of Naruto's friends: Shikamaru, Hinata, Choji, and an upperclassmen they met in year two, who was named Tenten, were planning a party for Naruto. Tenten was a Fae who held the record in accuracy with a perfect score. She also was the wielder of an unique Sentient Weapon. It was known as Kotai and it was capable of changing into any weapon. It was EXTREMELY picky about who wielded it. To the point the Third was ready to place the weapon in his personal vault.

"Are you sure I can't just place him in an illusion? We all know he sucks at dispelling illusions and mine are second to none." Sasuke asked. Everyone couldn't help but laugh. Naruto did suck at that.

"That would be mean, Sasuke… Plus Soyokaze-chan would easily dispel your illusions; she is used to them at this point." Hinata pointed out. Sasuke just growled. That damn Sentient Weapon was almost impossible to cast an illusion on. She noticed them immediately and dispelled them.

"Don't worry, Sasuke. The Ichiraku's agreed to keep Naruto at the stand all day. We have all the time we need to execute the plan." Shikamaru ensured. They were ashamed to admit it, but the gang had never once celebrated Naruto's birthday. The blonde Fae didn't want anyone to be bothered with throwing a birthday party for him, so he never told them the day. Sasuke and Shikamaru tired to get it out of him, but the blond Fae wouldn't budge.

It was only thanks to Hinata they FINALLY figured it out. The Hyuuga spent a lot of time observing Naruto. Another fun fact about October 10th was that it was a Health day at the Academy. Naruto always skipped that day and no one, besides her, knew where to find him. When asked why he skipped, since his attendance otherwise was perfect, he just laughed it off.

The first time was nothing, second a little weird, but the third and now fourth time? It didn't take a Nara to figure it out, though that didn't stop Shikamaru from putting it together. They surmised that Naruto had never had a birthday party and didn't want anyone to throw him one out of pity.

They were currently in the Uchiha District really jazzing up the place. Tenten strung up orange ribbons and white streamers hanging from the roofs of houses. Choji took care of the food. The Akimichi always welcomed Naruto when the blonde Fae went over Choji's to train. Choza and his wife loved the blonde Fae's appetite, saying it rivaled their own; which was a big compliment.

Hinata took care of the deserts. She had some of the Branch chefs help her make a few different deserts, since Naruto hadn't tried that many. Shikamaru settled for just showing up, as did Sasuke. They each had a gift for the blonde Fae.

Sasuke's gift was a sharpening tool made for Sentient Weapons. Naruto had mentioned needing a new one. Shikamaru's gift was a new type of flora for his collection, since Naruto had a 'green thumb'. Choji's gift was a free all you can eat voucher for any of the Akimichi restraunts. Hinata got him a sling holster for Soyokaze, since the blonde Fae tended to keep her in his pockets.

Tenten's gift was over the top. She ended up turning one of the abandoned homes into a training dojo. It had practice dummies for Combat training and targets for practicing throwing accuracy. She worked at a local Warrior Shop, so she sometimes got discounts or even free products if they were over stocked or weren't selling. Honestly she had more dummies than she could keep at home.

There plan was simple. They would hang out with Naruto as if it were an ordinary day. He skipped class that day, so they had to wait until after the Academy to set everything up. They still had to wait on a few things, so it was there job to keep Naruto busy. The gang left the Uchiha District and walked to Ichiraku Ramen.

"I'm so glad our Dobe is so predictable." Sasuke snickered. They found Naruto sitting at a booth eating his weight in miso ramen. They all sweat dropped and then chuckled/giggled.

"Oh, what's up my ninjas?" Naruto asked, mouth full of ramen. Tenten growled, "What have I told you about talking with your mouth full?" Naruto swallowed his food, after chewing of course.

"There better, Ten-sempai?" Naruto asked. Tenten smiled, "Much better. I hope you got your fill. Since you skipped the Academy, we're gonna have another 'Ten-sempai's Crash Course!' isn't that great?" Naruto went pale. The upperclassmen was ruthless when it came to Sentient Weapon training. She was also skilled in side weapons: kunai, shuriken, fuma shuriken, etc.

"You know, I think the Hokage needs me. Yup, probably has a mission for me so… Stay breezy!" Naruto says. He stealthily channeled Solar Wind magic into his legs and wings. When he said his spiel, he took off in a burst of speed. He left a small gust behind.

"Oh no you don't!" Tenten yelled. She pulled out a scroll and used her Life Force to unseal a ball and chain. She twirled it to get a feel for it and then lashed out and caught Naruto by the ankle. She smiled devilishly and swiftly wrapped Naruto in chains. Tenten slung the crying blonde Fae over her shoulder and walked to where she liked to train in the outskirts of Konohagakure.

"It's agreed… Tenten-sempai is scary…" Shikamaru said. Everyone agreed and followed the crazed Fae girl to a part of the village that was heavily forested. The trees were dense and blocked most of the sunlight. When they arrived, Tenten had finished hanging Naruto upside down from a tall tree limb. Learning to use your Life Force to anchor to surfaces was covered during the Academy. Right after using Life Force to keep objects attached to you.

"Alright, Naruto you know the deal. Think fast!" Tenten said. She unsealed a handful of kunai and threw them at Naruto. She even used her wings to kick up some wind to enhance their speeds. Naruto channeled Solar Wind magic into Soyokaze, who unleashed razor sharp winds. The wind cut through the chains and even blew the kunai back. The blonde landed and immediately had to dodge an onslaught of precisely thrown shuriken. Naruto's AOE was pressed to the max. He had to keep it active to blow away the kunai.

Just when Naruto thought about going on the offense, Tenten threw an explosive tagged kunai a few feet away from the AOE. The explosion caused a flame to ignite his AOE and moderately burned Naruto. At the last minute, Naruto pushed his AOE away and turned it off. The flames died out and Naruto growled in frustration.

"Dammit! Why does EVERYONE turn my AOE against me?!" Naruto yelled. Soyokaze sent a gentle breeze around Naruto to calm him down. Good thing too, Tenten threw another kunai aiming for him. The blonde Fae barely dodged, receiving a small cut on his cheek. The eerie thing was the cut perfectly lined up with his Whisker Mark!

"We get it. You can throw stuff! No one cares! Throwing side weapons is irrelevant! Let's give the people a show!" Kotai declared. Tenten growled at the cocky Sentient Weapon, but drew him nonetheless. Kotai changed into a nodaichi and Tenten rushed Naruto just as he activated his AOE. Tenten channeled Solar Wind magic into Kotai, increasing his sharpness tenfold.

Naruto evaded Tenten's skillful slashes and stabs, but not without injury. Soyokaze turned Naruto's AOE into a sphere of wind. Tenten couldn't cut through the fierce winds. When she recoiled, Soyokaze dropped the wind barrier and Naruto rushed in and slashed at Tenten. Kotai changed into a shield and defended the bun-haired Fae. Naruto prepared to counter, when Soyokaze warned him. A tendril of Mystical Darkness magic slinked across the ground towards him!

"Shika with the assist?!" Naruto said shocked. During Ten-sempai's crash course, the others would join in. The whole point was to simulate an enemy attack with limited to no back up. Shikamaru usually didn't help at all. Deemed it too much of a drag. Naruto flew into the air and away from the shadow. He knew that even if he was in the air, if his shadow was captured it was over. The blonde kept his senses sharp. He extended them by adding Life Force to the air around him. He felt something enter his AOE at an alarming pace! It was Kotai in the form of a spear.

Naruto flew out of the way and trapped Kotai in a wind sphere so Tenten couldn't equip him. Suddenly, Choji flew up and used his clan's secret skills to augment his hand to giant proportions and tried to swat Naruto like a bug.

"Yippee-ki-yay little Fae!" Ikuji cheered. Naruto managed to escape most of the impact, but still got nicked. He was sent spinning and crashing into the ground. Tenten threw a kunai at the downed Abomination, but Hinata saved him by sending a spark of lightning at the side weapon.

"Alright reinforcements arrived. I'm calling it quits for today." Tenten said with a tired sigh. The sun was just beginning to set. Naruto sighed, he really needed to work on being able to turn his AOE on and off at a moment's notice. Sasuke smirked. The rest of the party favors and guests should have arrived at the Uchiha District.

"Woo! Good workout! I'm ready to go home and just chill for the rest of the day. Peace out, gang!" Naruto said ready to go home.

"Actually, Naruto-kun. We were wondering if we could spend some time with you today." Hinata said shyly. "Oh, well I can't have company today. I didn't clean up and the house is a mess."

"You never clean up. You've been whining about no one visiting you, so we're visiting you." Sasuke said. Naruto chuckled and rubbed his head sheepishly. They walked together to the Uchiha District and when Naruto saw it he was shocked.

"Damn, Sparky! Someone trashed our district! The nerve of some people. Pranking ME!" Naruto yelled in fury! Everyone burst out laughing, "This is only funny when I do it!" That just made them laugh harder.

"Oh, Naruto-kun! No. You see… We… Well I did, but I told everyone… I mean…" Hinata tried to say, but failed. She went from pink to red with the swiftness.

"What Hinata is TRYING to say is… Happy birthday, Naruto." Shikamaru said calmly. With that, the rest of the gang all cheered a happy birthday to the shell shocked blonde Fae.

"How did you find out?" Naruto asked. He didn't know how to feel. He had always celebrated his friends' birthdays, but when it came to him, he just shrugged it off. Hell he didn't even know his birthday until the Old Man told him when he turned seven. He did notice he got gifts on those days too. As far as a party goes, he had never had one.

"I kind of just figured it out. From your body language on this day for the past four years… And a few other context clues…" Hinata said while doing her 'Shy Finger' gesture. She had enough control to where she didn't generate sparks if she didn't want to. Naruto just looked at the Hyuuga and chuckled. He should have known she would figure it out.

"Haha! Little Naru-chan is about to cry!" Soyokaze teased. Naruto tried to hide it, but the tears fell anyway. "Shut up…" The gang led Naruto to his own dojo. The blonde was floored… Was that what it felt like to celebrate your birthday with people you love? They didn't pity him, they really loved him! They loved Uzumaki Naruto!

"Will they love you when they discover you are my Abomination?" the Kyuubi chimed in. Soyokaze growled and used her connection with Naruto to drive the Kyuubi's Will out. Naruto didn't let it spoil the mood.

"I thought you might like it. Now you have your own space for training. I even took it a step further a placed a few sound proofing spells using Solar Wind magic." Tenten said with a warm smile. Naruto walked around the renovated dojo and sent his Life Force through the limited space. He wanted this place to be his first 'beacon'. Naruto was practicing a form of Supersonic travel called a Sonic Boom. He was no where near even attempting it, but he knew he would need 'beacons' to lock onto.

"Don't get too comfy. We have more to show!" Choji cheered. "You're just excited about the food."

"Don't say logical statements as if they were insults. Besides, can you SMELL that lovely aroma drifting through the air?" Choji asked while sniffing. Shikamaru signed and led the charge to one of the bigger houses used for hosting events. When they stepped through the door, Naruto was bombarded by the various people shouting, "Happy Birthday!"

Naruto couldn't believe so many people came to celebrate his big day. The Third was here with smiles and gifts. Strangely enough, his favorite Anbu was present, the one who smelled of eggplants of all things. Choji's parents were there, along with Shikamaru's and even Ino and the Yamanaka Clan head and his wife. To his utter shock, Hinata's little sister, Hanabi had come.

"Fireworks-chan! So nice of you to join us peasants!" Naruto clowned around. "Well, Fishcake, even us princesses have to dwell amongst the social outcasts to prove we are benevolent. Besides, I'm just here because Hinata-ane insisted. So let's eat the cake she made!" Hinata blushed and glared at her smirking little sister. Hanabi has spied on her big sister and her friends on more than one occasion. The younger Hyuuga heiress considered it 'Byakugan Training'.

Hanabi was polite and nice, but Naruto knew how to rile her up. He enjoyed teasing her and calling her fireworks, since it was what her name literally meant. She would counter with fishcake, knowing it annoyed him. They just started it to see who would crack first; that was two years ago. Naruto didn't know it, but before entering the Academy, their father considered Hinata a failure. So much so, he left her in the care of one Yuhi Kurenai, who was also at the party.

It was slow at first, but soon her father and the rest of the clan saw improvement. She was stuttering less and her skills greatly improved. There was no fear for either of them to be branded with the Caged Bird Curse Charm because they were girls. Traditionally, it was the men who started branch family members. The only pressure was to be the best heiress.

Hinata had originally cracked under the pressure. Her kind and gentle nature, while inspiring to Hanabi, was frowned upon by the clan. The change all started when she entered the Academy. She wouldn't tell their father, but she would dish it all to Hanabi. She went on about a blonde Fae, the very same one who had the GALL to piss in their fountain. The stories would only get crazier as the days became weeks, then months and years.

Soon Hanabi became curious and met Naruto herself. She told him he was lucky her sister liked him. Poor Naruto didn't understand and said he liked Hinata too just as the said Hyuuga was entering the room. She of course fainted and Hanabi has held it over her ever since. Hanabi would watch them train and she saw a fierce Warrioress. She encouraged Hinata to bring that to their spars. After four years of training with the blonde Fae and her other friends, Hinata managed to actually surprise Neji a few times. She hadn't defeated him yet though.

Everyone went to get their fill of cake and food. Naruto was starving after that workout and tried all the various cakes! He would compliment Hinata on each one he tried. He found that he liked the ones with whip cream and strawberries the most. Once the cake and food was digested, they moved on to presents. The Third decided to go first.

"Happy birthday, Naruto-kun. I want to be the first to say I am proud of you. Though you have areas you need to work on, you are a fine Warrior in the making. I hope this gift will further your endeavors." The Third said. He handed Naruto a scroll and told him to wait to open it. Next was Choji and his parents.

"Now don't let that voucher go to waste young man. I wouldn't want you to be malnourished. You were just a scrawny looking thing all those years ago." Choji's mother said. Thanks to the Akimichi's Naruto didn't look like a starved child. He ate regularly, other than ramen, and was a nice height for his age. Only people his age taller were Sasuke and Shikamaru. Damn bastards always rubbed it in his face.

Naruto promised he would use it soon. Up next was Shikamaru and his folks. Naruto's eyes sparkled at the beautiful flora. Shikamaru took the liberty to pot and soil the flora, so they sit it down somewhere safe. Next, Hanabi gave Naruto some fireworks with a cheeky smile.

"I figured there was no better gift than my presence, both literally and figuratively." Hanabi stated. Naruto just chuckled dryly.

"How can you even say such big words. Do you even know what they mean?" Naruto asked.

"Do you?" Hanabi asked.

"That's not the point… Just light up the stupid fireworks!" Naruto said annoyed.

"We can do so later. Outside of course. Anyway, here Naruto-kun… I hope you like it." Hinata said presenting him with her gift. Soyokaze squealed in delight! "I am going to be so snug in those! Not to mention you will look cool too, Naruto!" Naruto accepted the new holsters and placed Soyokaze in them. She literally purred in delight.

"Soyo-ane loves it! Thanks a lot, Bya-hime!" Naruto said hugging Hinata. 'Bya-hime was short for Byakugan princess. He really only called her that when she did something really awesome. Still the pet name always made Hinata blush. Sasuke gave him his sharpening tool, which Soyokaze also loved. Ino gave Naruto some flowers from her shop. They were mostly for displaying.

The Anbu gave Naruto a bunch of dog themed gifts. From plush toys, to a night cap, etc. "I didn't know what to get you. You use Soyokaze exclusively, rarely using side weapons, so getting you those would be pointless. I figured 12 year olds like toys, live it up kid. Once you graduate it's all over for that kiddy shit." Naruto just sighed. The Anbu was way too serious. He needed to chill a bit. The last person to give him gifts wasn't physically there.

"Naruto-kun, I didn't know you had a Godfather." Hinata said, looking at all the gifts the mysterious man left. It was a bunch of toad themed gifts. A bunch of toys, a night cap, hell even a wallet. Naruto found the wallet was bursting with Ryo. It wasn't the first time his Godfather since gifts. Every year on his birthday, on July 10th, and on January 25th. His Godfather would also send him allowances at the beginning of each month for expenses since he moved out of the orphanage.

"Yeah. I've never met the guy, but he was nice enough to set up an allowance for me that will last up until I graduate. Not to mention he paid for me to enroll and is decent enough to write me from time to time." Naruto said with a smile. Sure his Godfather sounded like a cocky asshole in his letters, but he did express wanting to build a relationship in person when he had time and when Naruto graduated. Hinata smiled and they all partied in celebration. It was a day Naruto would never forget. It was also the first of many birthday parties to come…

Alright I am done. So I feel I should explain the narration. See I don't have a laptop or Desktop to write this on. I use my phone and copy and paste it into the Fan fiction mobile app. That being said, in the previous chapter I set it up so you could tell the difference from the various narrations. When I upload it, it undoes all that and makes it all one way. So I decided to skip all that. I feel as long as I tell you who says what I don't need to make the Kyuubi talk in bold or whatever. Also, if you noticed, I haven't mentioned what everyone is wearing besides Hinata. That is because I want to leave their attire up to your imaginations. You can imagine the gang in whatever you want. Hinata I singled out though. Anyway please review. I would like feedback of any kind. The whole "No news is good news' doesn't apply to me. No news drives me fucking crazy. So please. Any thoughts on how things are going? Confused about why I aged everyone and plan to make them 16 before they become Genin? Curious about any of the characters? How do you feel about the way they all interact?


	5. Chapter 5

I know it has been some time since my last update. Not going to get into excuses and what have you. Those who stayed will be happy and perhaps new fans will come. Without further ado. I don't own Naruto.

Naruto the Abomination Chapter 5

Four years. To an adult that would be nothing more than four years added to their limited lifespans. To a seasoned Warrior that was four lifetimes of battles, near deaths, and losses to bare. To Naruto, four years marked the true beginning of his journey. The Fresh Exams were finally near for his graduating class! The sheer hundreds of Warriors and Amazons, as they later learned was the proper title for female Warriors, that started out those eight years ago had dwindled to a mere 101.

Puberty was weird enough without throwing Warrior training into the mix. Throw in a rather detailed oriented explanation of sex, the art of seduction, manipulation through magic. Needless to say, some innocence was lost. The once preteen gang of budding Warriors/Amazons had blossomed into 16 year olds on their way to adulthood. Their bodies having developed nicely thanks to their dedication to training.

"Come on, Ten-Sempai!! Tell us what the Fresh Exams are like!" Naruto begged!

He just had to know! Much of Naruto's core personality had not changed. He was still hyper and dense, but time with Shikamaru helped tailor that hyperactivity into critical thinking. What had changed was his height. He was the second tallest of his class; Sasuke being the tallest.

Naruto wore a plain no sleeve orange shirt with the Uzumaki symbol in blue on the front and chainmail. Over that he wore a closed black and burnt orange high collar haori, held closed by a Charm Belt. There were holes to allow his wings to poke out. His once oval and closed wings had opened not too long ago. A major milestone for the Fae, seeing as his now yellow feathered wings were fucking AWESOME!

Naruto completed it with matching burnt orange pants, his holster on his left leg, and dark blue high top warrior sandals. Soyokaze was resting in her holester at his hip. Their sync was at a solid 25% which meant Soyokaze's experience bled into Naruto. His focus was enchanted greatly. On the flipside, Soyokaze was at 75% with Naruto. The Kyūbi still presented a problem.

"Sorry, Naruto. A part of becoming a Fresh is to swear an oath not to tell potential Warriors/Amazons what the Fresh Exams are like. Not to mention they change it up every year anyway. An Amazon is nothing if she cannot be held to her word." Tenten stated.

The 17 year old Amazon had blossomed marvelously. She was lithe and yet poised to kill. She wore her white and red outfit with pink flame accents on it. Her own bloomed wings were bat-like, symbolizing her affinity to Solar Fire Magic (SFM). She also sported a Charm Belt, but with more Charm Scrolls than Naruto by 2; 6 in total. Kotai was well hidden; just how he liked it.

Tenten had been accepted into the ranks a year prior. The fabled Headband that bore the Konoha Leaf Symbol was proof of that. She also wore the Warrior's Silk; a special silk that allowed the wearer to completely control their attire with the added bonus of being able to absorb LF (Life Force) . She had been on missions and experienced the outside world. Much like a true Sempai, she shared her experiences with them. She drove the importance of integrity.

'If you can't be held by your word, how can the client trust you not to stab him in the back should the mission go south?' was something she often quoted. Tenten was all about appearance and looking Cool and Professional. Which made her Sensei and teammate the perfect ironic twist.

Naruto just grumbled, but then shrugged. It wasn't something he couldn't handle. The past four years saw his skills only improve. His control was still ranked low, but he used his limited control to great effect. To the point his AOE could not only be turned on and off within 3 seconds, but had developed 2 other abilities.

The first was the ability to become a Barrier Of Effect, or BOE. It was able to repel things away from him as opposed to sensing things with his AOE. The second was the ability to turn his AOE into what he dubbed Armory In Effect or AIE. The AIE allowed him to turn his Solar Wind Magic into various weapons; though he was currently limited to wind shuriken.

Naruto had his AOE turned off so he could just enjoy the feeling of the day. The sun was shining brightly and the wind seemed to pick up that heat. Naruto was at the Dango Shop, a rather popular shop that Naruto and his Gang frequented. It wasn't Naruto's choice, but he agreed they couldn't hang at Ichiraku's Ramen all the time. With him were his Gang for the past 8 years.

"I can see why a Dumbass like you would worry, Naruto. You better pray it comes down to a practical test of our power and not written. Why are the loudest, most cocky people usually so dumb?" Sasuke jested with that smug smirk.

"Ninja please! It's not about being worried, it is about being prepared. Something a pampered up Ego Maniac wouldn't get. Besides, they say the most popular people are dumb." Naruto shot back.

"OH DAMN!" a random customer acknowledged Naruto's burn. Naruto snapped and gave a thumbs up in the direction it came from. Whoever it was, they knew they got their props.

"Easy you two. Can we please just enjoy the nice weather and tasty snacks?" Hinata sighed.

The two boys ignored her and just glared at each other. Naruto just shrugged and ate some Pokey. Sasuke gave him a face of disgust and settled for daydreaming. The Nara Heir had helped him advance in Mystic Flow (MF) in the head. Channeling and allowing LF and MM to flow and build in a certain area helped Warriors achieve their feats.

Sasuke, who's core personality changed the most of all, was sitting at the booth on the far corner. He didn't eat anything on account they were at a Sweets Shop and sweets were not his thing. Leave it to Hinata, the Sweets Queen, to pick a sweets shop. He would get to choose their hangout spot next though. He was leaning towards Ichiraku due to their newest Ramen with a Tomato Paste broth and some meatballs in it for flavor.

"Got Damn you, Naruto…" Sasuke cursed mentally. How had the blonde convinced him that Ichiraku Ramen was a good hangout spot?... Probably because of Ayame...

While still stoic and aloof, Sasuke became more talkative; even if most of it was sarcasm. He was also kind, especially to the younger Uchiha Trolls and Ayame. Outside of that, his skills easily rivaled Naruto's. His use of MLM (Mystical Lightning Magic) was as creative as it was deadly.

Sasuke was equipped with Lightning Darts (LD), Lightning Reflexes (LR), a Lightning Defense Dome (LDD), and Lightning Strikes (LS). It was thanks to his affinity for accessing his and others' Frequencies he was so skilled. Hyūga saw it differently. They saw nodes and points; specific targets. Uchiha saw the whole picture unfocused. It was like seeing waving lines merging together into one woven fractal; an infinite pattern.

Frequencies helped him see the truths of the world. Frequencies, or how LF reacts from person to person, could not lie. It helped him see his comrades were just people; his people. They were strong and there was nothing wrong with surrounding one self with strong company. Even the Pink Bombshell was getting strong; he didn't mean her looks either.

Sasuke wore a plain black no sleeve shirt with chainmail underneath. Over that he wore a long sleeve light gray high collar haori with the Uchiha symbol displayed proudly on the back and it was opened halfway. He wore a sash that he let the end hang. He finished his outfit with dark violet pants and matching warrior sandals. His medium now showed in the center of his chest; a testament to his skill.

Next was Hinata. The Hyūga Heiress to Be enjoyed her cinnamon rolls almost too much. Even after all the years, watching the usual graceful and docile Hinata moan and scarf down roll after roll was a weirdly funny sight. Not even Choji would attempt to take a piece off the sugary buns; least his hand get Gentle Fist tap till it was numb and bloated.

Hinata's attire was mostly the same; just tailored to fit her new blooming figure. There was no hiding such a womanly figure, she was at least modest about it. Her hair did grow, but she kept it in a ponytail so it wouldn't get in the way. Something Naruto teased her about, saying she copied Neji's hairstyle. It wasn't her fault the style was practical for battle.

Hinata's crystal medium was Amazonite, one she hid due to its placement on her chest. Her ample, ample bust/chest. It got strength from communication; something she solely lacked, but that was slowly becoming history. She talked more and even stood up for herself at times; rare times, but it happened!

Hinata's skills also improved in a weird way. Being a Hyūga Troll meant she should excel in MLM. Their Gentle Fist worked by injecting a type of Mystical Magic (MM) into their opponents. Most used MLM since it was the most efficient of the Mystical Trinity, but Hinata struggled using it. Due to having a MWM affinity, MLM was much too difficult for her to use without causing harm to herself.

MWM allowed Hinata to use the Gentle Fist in a unique way. She could actually clog nods with MWM. Making someone more sluggish, possibly drowning them if hit in the neck. She even had Water Needles (WN) for mid distance. Her preferred use for MWM was Cleansing and Purification (CAP). MWM allowed her to cleanse a person's bodies of toxins, purify and even enforce someone's LF, and of course the healing of certain wounds.

"It'll probably be something that requires a lot of work…" Shikamaru drooled. He only sighed when he thought more about it.

"I wish we could do simple written exams. Or just performing 3 basic techniques, but we're not some preteen little brats. Sounds like the good life…" Shikamaru added.

That was the thing about Shikamaru. He didn't try hard at anything. If it worked, he liked it and spent his time thinking of ways to keep things simple and smooth. He didn't like having to do more than what was necessary; mostly because he was too smart to be bothered.

His attire was the same as always. His expression same as always. Yup, from first glance the only thing any outsider would say was Shikamaru got taller. His slothfulness masked a supreme intellect only enhanced by not only his ability with MLM, but his skill in his Clan's Mystical Darkness Magic: Possess (MDMP).

MDMP allowed the user to control not only their shadows, but the surrounding shadows as well to posses their target. The possession places the target in various degrees of mental or physical paralyzes. Only those with strong perseverance can break free. Shikamaru was even privy to Mystical Darkness Magic: Weaver (MDMW).

MDMW allowed him to literally gather shadows and then shot them out much like a spider with web. Its effects were still under development.

"Come on, Shika. That sounds so boring, even coming from you. Besides, how would we survive in the Warring World of Winox with such little training?" Choji asked. The Bulky 16 year old munched away at his salty snacks. A few he bought from the front counter display racks and some were brought from home.

Thank All That Was Good Choji ended up ditching his childhood attire. He wore the battle armor accustomed to the Akimichi. Which helped his beetle-like wings breath and move freely. While he may have been the runt of his clan, his fierce determination and loyalty to his clan helped him develop their skill: Solar Earth Magic: Augmentation (SEMA). SEMA allowed the Akimichi to convert the surrounding minerals with their bodies. Allowing them to transform into living rocks, boulders, even the size of mountains with enough skill.

Hinata took a moment to wipe her mouth of any icing. She saw her group of friends and sighed. Naruto was just a slob. Bless his little heart, but the boy could and would eat. He would eat all the sweets!

Sasuke just went into his own little Wonderland. Choji ate a mix of outside and the store snacks; which was just rude. Tenten was pretty much one of the guys. She was just cleaning a side arm shuriken, because why not? Shikamaru just napped not eating anything! Not even a small piece of candy ! It was only the thought he dragged himself there for her that made her restrain her Gentle Fist lead hand.

"Maybe I should invite Ino and Sakura next time…" Hinata said absentmindedly. She took another bite from her cinnamon roll, but felt the oddest thing. Something was staring at her with such intensity.

"You don't even mention their names… Don't you know Ino has this part of Konoha in her Gridlock? Just mentioning her name will…" Sasuke whispered.

Being a MLM user, Sasuke was familiar with the theory behind the Yamanaka's MLM:Gridlock (MLMG). By dispersing MLM in a certain place over enough time, one can have that entire area essentially bugged. Certain Key Words trigger a signal to the user.

"Sasuke-kun! Look how strong I got!" Ino's voice echoed! Sasuke sent MLM to his ears and tracked Ino via her voice. It was too close for comfort.

"Got Damn You, Hinata!!" Sasuke cursed before he sent MLM to his legs and sped off with enhanced agility!

Ino came into the shop not too much later. The teenage girl did bloom as well. Her confidence in herself was matched by her purple attire that showed off just enough of her budding figure to be classy and not slutty. The only thing Ino took more serious than her appearance was her training. Ever since their 5th year in the Academy.

After being pestered for years, Sasuke finally snapped and told everyone he only wanted to be around strong women. He figured the malnourished, diet obsessed, beauty queens would never take training seriously. He was right in a way. Sure plenty of his Fangirls tried, but only Ino and Sakura seemed to be able to transition from Fangirl to Amazon to Be. So while he managed to cut the Fangirl Base down considerably, he also gave his two biggest Fans a reason to get stronger and thus making it much harder to escape.

Ino was skilled in the Yamanaka clan's MLM: Mind Disruption (MLMMD). It worked by sending a variety of waves, in Ino's case Electromagnetic Waves, to a medium and send subliminal messages to suggest and even manipulate a person's mind. Instead of sending their own consciousness into a target, the Yamanaka developed a method to send 'mental copies' of their Core Conscious instead.

The Mental Clone could manipulate the target and allow the Yamanaka to manipulate them and still be active. It just took a lot of LF to maintain. It also could be blocked by those with strong Wills and LF.

"I could have sworn I heard Sasuke-kun called me…" Ino pouted.

"Just missed him. If you hurry you can probably catch him and challenge him to a duel." Shikamaru yawned. He lifted his head in hopes to see her leave, but alas.

"Nah. Not everyday I get to hang here. Besides, you know after these Exams the Ino-Shika-Cho trio will be repeated for another generation. We might as well set up a place to chat." Ino stated.

Shikamaru just sighed deeply and lowered his head into his arms. Ino sat down next to Hinata and smiled.

"I tried." Hinata shrugged.

Ino ordered Hinata another cinnamon roll, much to the Hyūga Heiress' glee! For herself, she ordered pudding!

"Inoshishi!! You won't beat me in the battle of love!!... Oh, it's just you guys. An order of Syrup-coated Anko Dumpling please!" Sakura ordered cheerfully. Shikamaru just sighed deeply.

Sakura the Bombshell was well known for her quick temper and assertiveness. On the flipside, she was warm. Her bat-like wings were even gentle looking as they could be. She wore a pink battle kimono that stopped at the knees with a white sash. Attached to the sash was Yūki, her Sentient Weapon in the form of a blank mask. To finish she had red high heel sandals with chainmail fishnets covering her legs.

Sakura and Yūki worked by playing off the others' fatal flaw. Sakura, before entering the Academy and finding Yūki, was cowardly and shy. Yūki, before meeting Sakura, was courageous to the point of blind arrogance. Together they humbled one another and then she wore him, her Solar Fire Magic: Cherry Blossom (SFMCB) and SFM: Sakura Bomber (SFMSB) were known to leave LASTING damage.

"Hey Sakura-chan!! Wanna sit next to me? I can tell you all about the Wind-" Naruto started.

"Don't you dare give away our spells you Hyperactive Brat!" Soyokaze berated.

Naruto flinched, but Sakura just sat next to Ino and Hinata. The three girls ate and mingled. Tenten sat with the guys and just looked at the three girl. She just didn't understand the appeal.

"Girls are weird…" Tenten said while looking at them intently.

The guys just looked at Tenten looking at the girls. Girls were weird indeed. Still, it was a nice peace they enjoyed. They knew that their Black and White concepts of Right and Wrong, Truth and Lie, Sin and Virtue were about to get murky and gray. Tenten had already been submerged in it and it showed.

The peace they all agreed they would fight to maintain ended far too soon. After the girls had their fill of gossip, Hinata couldn't stomach anymore sweetly goodness, and Naruto couldn't stave off his Training Bug, they all left the Dango shop to prepare for the next day. Ino, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Choji all walked home together. Naruto escorted Hinata to the Hyūga Estate the best way he knew how.

Despite having being flown before, Hinata still couldn't help the feeling of elation she felt! Up there, where the sky is blue. The birds chirped and your worries were beneath you on the ground. They both located towards the Hokage Rock. Knowing that the next day their fates would be decided in the Forest of the Great Beyond.

Both teens opted to not talk. The roar of the wind would most likely silence them anyway. Hinata enjoyed their flights around. She got to ride on his back and feel his wings flap, brushing her with feathers like sunshine. It was also something he only did for her; mostly because Sakura and Tenten always say no, but still.

The ride was over too soon. Naruto landed gently far enough away to not draw attention. After spending 8 years around Hyūga, the blonde Uzumaki and Jade Dagger got a pretty good feel for their range. It clearly varied, but they had Neji Hyūga, Hiashi Hyūga, and even Hanabi Byakugan range locked.

"Thanks for suggesting that place, Hinata-chan. It isn't Ichiraku Ramen, but it was a nice change of pace. Get plenty of rest for the Fresh Exams tomorrow. See ya there!" Naruto cheered, before he took off for home. Hinata watched him fly off and smiled.

"Your infatuation with that Urchin is troubling, but that is for the Main Family to worry about. Let's go, Hinata-sama." Neji said waiting by the gate.

Neji was the reddest of all the Hyūga. His Byakugan was among the highest of caliber. Hand craftily engineered by the Prodigy himself based simply on observation of the Main Family! He wore traditional Hyūga attire in dark gray.

Hinata bowed to her older cousin, something that made Neji grumbled along the lines of, "I don't need your pity…" to two entered the Estate and the calming world of prestige and diligence swallowed them whole. They lost their individuality and became the Hyūga Heiress and the Branch Family Prodigy. Both respectable titles and yet hollow to them both.

Naruto landed in the Uchiha District. He landed on Sasuke's roof. He tapped his heel on it three times. Sasuke opened a window and the blonde Uzumaki flew in.

"Would you stop being a baby and just spar with them already?" Naruto asked.

It was embarrassing that his archrival ran away from a fight period. Amazon or Warrior. Granted he wouldn't go picking a fight with Sakura OR Ino, but if challenged; well who was he to run away?

"I tried that approach. The first few spars were easy enough. They were sticks back then. After a few years though…" Sasuke shivered.

To prove his point, he activated his Sharingan 1.0 code. The infamous spinning wheel flashed and colored his onyx eyes blood red. He didn't stop there. He used his Sharingan granted photogenic memory and MLM to project the incident leading up to their activation.

It showed Sasuke having to constantly be on the move to avoid Ino's Mental Clones and her laser beams. It was tricky keeping track of Ino in the blitz of lights. A sudden increase in heat was Sasuke's only warning, before a Yūki Sakura swooped in, flaming mask and fists ablaze in pink fire!

Yūki Sakura's swings were wild, but laced with heated sakura petal-like sparks. Sasuke found it harder to just evade them both, so he unleashed his MLMLDD in a burst of purple lightning! Ino leapt away, but Sakura surprised him. She ran through and endured the shockwave almost unimpeded!

Sakura's favorite SFMCB, engulfing her fist in aflaming orb the size of his head, was cocked back ready to strike! The sheer heat from her spell singed and burned his face before it even got close! To add onto the stress, Ino had shot him with one of her lasers. It stunned him to the point he knew he wouldn't be able to dodge.

The stress brought on by seeing a flaming masked embodiment of courage with its flaming fist primed to strike triggered a chemical in Sasuke's brain. His vision blurred, "Sharingan 1.0 activated!"

Yūki's Mask cracked when Sakura gazed into Sasuke's spinning Sharingan with a single tomoe. That moment of doubt was all Sasuke needed. He shook off his stun and threw LD at Sakura, rushed her in her stunned state, and thrust the flaming girl into Ino with a LDD. Satisfied, Sasuke called the spar to end.

"Yes! I finally activated my Sharingan! I can't believe you two actually pushed me beyond even my training stress levels. Your skill has indeed improved; you two proved me wrong. Bravo I am rarely wrong." Sasuke admitted.

The Uchiha deactivated his Sharingan and ended the memory. "That moment of weakness cost me dearly… Now they keep challenging me to spars…"

"After seeing that. You are the smarter one. Keep running and pray we get teamed up with Hinata-chan." Naruto said. Sasuke chuckled, "We can't be that lucky." Both teens laughed. It was light, refreshing in what would have otherwise been dark loneliness. Wanting to be up early, they did their signature goodbye; a wind infused fist crashing against a lightning enhanced one. Both canceled the other out.

"Emoll." Naruto jested. Combining Emo and Troll in what he thought was funny. No one laughed. He decided to wait for an audience.

"Fairy." Sasuke smirked.

"Amaterasu Burn!" Some called out from the distance.

"Thank you, thank you. It is cliché, but just has the fire. " Sasuke bragged. Naruto growled, "Cheating bastard. Projecting his voice…"

Naruto walked the empty streets of the Uchiha District. He often walked passed the old Uchiha Police Department. The silence used to bug him, but he found it oddly refreshing. Just being able to walk and enjoy his home village. No one to glare or ignore.

Naruto took these silent nights to let his wings rest for another day of flying. His AOE was literally all around the District, excluding Sasuke's sector; which they agreed would be left alone so he could build lightning rods. He expanded his senses to an almost Out of Body Experience level. His SWM carried his Will through the area and let him feel for any foreign LF; he found none.

"I love this place. Looking at the remains of that Treacherous Abominable Clan would bring tears to my eyes if I could shed them anymore." Kyūbi truly rejoiced. Seeing Madara Uchiha's rotting corpse was the only thing that could top it.

Naruto just ignored the Bijū. Soyokaze kept that part of their share Soul Space too fogged for Naruto to enter. All that came from the Bottom Plane: Boiler Room was that deep and shrewd roar.

"Then again I expected it to happen sooner. You Spawn are all so simple. So stupid almost by design no matter the breed. Hateful, Arrogant, Pretentious!" The Kyūbi roared!

What did some Fae runt know? Nothing! If the greatest of Bijū was forced to be inside the brat, at HALF SOUL, he would voice his displeasures. Naruto felt the booming headache the Bijū's roar brought, but did an impressive job of ignoring it.

"You Spawn are all the same! Soon you too will seek my power! A power no mere mortal could ever hope to grasp without us Bijū!" Kyūbi roared! Naruto had already made it home, showered, and finally got in bed. He just wanted to unwind.

"Look. I don't want you in me anymore than you want to be in there. Don't care how it sounds. If it makes you feel better, I won't use your Oh so Great Power. Whatever it takes to just end the bickering." Naruto sighed mentally.

When he slept he usually came to his Soul Space to bond with Soyokaze. It was mostly watching her relive her glory days. Naruto saw Soyokaze being wielded by her First Wielder. The shapeless man may have been forgotten in time, but their battles were eternal..

Naruto woke up before dawn, eager to begin his journey to the Forest of the Great. He got ready as swiftly as he could and rushed out! He flew over Konoha, seeing hundreds of eager Fae Warriors to Be flew by too. Some with feathered wings, some with bug wings, others with bat wings.

The area behind Konoha's famous Hokage Rock. The Forest of the Great Beyond was created by the First with his fabled Solar Earth Magic: Wood Keeper (SEMWK). That combined with his SEM: World of Trees (SEMWOT) created much of the infrastructure of the village, but said forest was the Heartwood.

After the First Hokage's death, the Forest still continued to grow. Still bred new life in all manners of ways. The Second Hokage saw the potential and established a border unseen by non-Warriors. He cultivated the area in his late brother's stead. Before his demise, the Second shared with his student, The Third Hokage, his findings of the forest and the potential benefits and drawbacks it could have.

The Third then studied the forest and deemed it too risky. After all the work he put to ban Sentient Weapons to kill unworthy wielders, the Third Hokage thought the Forest of the Great Beyond was too much too soon. When he finally stepped down, he passed his findings to the Fourth. In his time, the Fourth was able to develop 7 different training districts deep within and powered by the forest. Each training district bred and kept the fabled Warlock Beasts.

Warlock Beasts produced the Warrior's Silk, which only a true Warrior can obtain. Amazons obtained Amazon Silk from Witch Beasts. Each training district had silks catered to a Warrior/Amazons needs. Should it be protection from opposing elements or enhancing ones own element.

"Welcome students, to the Forest of the Great Beyond. We are in the Central Hub. In the center before you is the Main Matrix that connects the Hub to the Sealed Lairs of the Six Beasts." Iruka and a group of other instructors explained.

They did their jobs as best they could. They fostered and honed their skills for 8 years. Some Warriors, read Mizuki, found no true joy in teaching. Once the brats were placed on teams, they would be on their way of grinding the ranks same as him. Some might achieve Elite if they are skilled enough, but the majority will be faceless canon fodder.

It came as no surprise when he outright quit teaching and rejoined the Warrior ranks. No one really heard from him after that. In the center of the Hub was a giant Sealing Matrix Array. It had six matrices focused around certain elements: SFM was first. MWM was second. MLM was third. SEM was fourth. MDM was fifth and SWM was sixth.

"Each Matrix opens a portal that takes you to one of the Six Lairs of the Beast. Your objective is to obtain their Silks by any means. You must sign this waiver and wear these suits. Good luck to you all." Iruka explained. He looked at all the students he had personally trained for 8 years with great pride.

The 101 students all gathered around the Sealing Matrix eager to obtain their Warrior/Amazon Silks. Naruto and his friends decided to not seek each other out. It was a personal test for each of them. Naruto looked at the sixth Lair of Wind. There was no description for any of the Lairs besides their element.

"I believe it would be best to go to the first Lair of Fire. Having protection against fire would be better than stronger SWM." Soyokaze suggested. Naruto could agree to that.

He hated how his AOE and even his BOE would be used against him with SFM. He also liked the idea of going into the Fire Lair as a SWM Fae. He got in the line for the Fire Lair and was surprised to see Sakura in line as well. He wanted to shout out and get her attention, but he saw her look of determination and for once followed her lead.

When it was his turn, Naruto was instructed to place his hand on the Seal Matrix and add some of his LF to it. He needed to make sure he did not add too much Natural Energy (NE) otherwise it would turn to SWM and probably set him on fire. The Blonde Fae took calming breaths to focus his raging LF. He focused on his Physical Energy (PE) preparing his body for the journey ahead. He channeled his Spiritual Energy (SE) opening his mind to such impossibilities. He balanced them both with NE to protect him from the elements and placed his hand on the Matrix.

His LF activated the Matrix and opened the portal that swiftly whisked away to a Hellish terrain. Brimstone was scorched with flames making the ground too hot for anyone not accustomed to such heats. The SFM Fae faired much better than the Warlocks/Witches who were either forced to expend MWM just to stay or were completely rejected out.

Just entering the Lair was hell enough, already eliminating a good few. That was when it came stampeding at them! A hulking beast with red and leathery skin engulfed in yellow flames of its own Will. It rode in with the legs of a stallion and bulldozed through any too slow to evade. Poor souls were incinerated swiftly. It used its strong orange tail to swat away any too close, also lighting them ablaze in crimson fire.

"I am Balrog the Infernal. Those seek the Infernal Silk must answer to me, but wait!" Balrog introduced, before something caught his attention. He snaked out and caught a sliver of SWM. He inhaled it and eyes bore down on Naruto.

"It is rare for a SWM Fae to step into my Lair. Let's have some fun shall we?" Balrog grinned.

Balrog let out a roar that put everyone on edge. Naruto wasted no time, he crashed both of Soyokaze's two daggers together and formed a Butterfly Sword. He twirled it like a Bo Staff and used SWM to propel him up and evade the swift Flaming Steed that was Balrog.

Not to be deterred, Balrog kept on crashing. Most got of the way, but some tried to use MWM or SEM to slow him down; he plowed through regardless and sent them to the Inferno with literal arms made of pure crimson fire. It fought off the onslaught of waving waters of various colors and substances and earth projectiles with its Bull-like body and massive arms, totaling four; two of which were made of fire.

Balrog laid waste to the weaker and inexperienced Warriors to be. He swatted them aside along with their meager defenses and offenses. He crushed them underneath his massive fists, and walked over them like the bugs many of them looked like with their wings. All the while, searching for the SWM Fae.

He didn't have to wait long. With sweat dripping from his brow, Naruto swung his Butterfly Sword and unleashed an air slashwave. Unfortunately, it burst into flames before it even reached Balrog, who simply bit and swallowed the incoming fire.

"I was beginning to worry I had eliminated you without realizing it. Try not to bore me." Balrog challenged.

The hulking Beast set its sights on Naruto, who was honestly frozen by fear. To see the beast literally devour his attack so easily. It was unlike anything he had faced. Not even Soyokaze could snap him out of it. All his magic was more harmful than good.

Balrog rushed the Blonde Fae before he could recover. With a swat of his flaming arm, he clotheslined the Uzumaki Fae across the chest. All the wind was knocked out of him and set on fire! He was sent crashing into a rock pillar. It crumbled on top of him.

Balrog just huffed in boredom. He stalked towards the recovering Naruto. He was slightly disappointed at the SWM Fae, but he would end it soon.

"Moeru Yūki!!" Sakura declared! She came out of nowhere, body lit ablaze in pink flames! She slammed her fist into Balrog's face with all her might!!

Balrog didn't even flinch. He simply swung her off with a simple turn of his hulking face. He used his three claws to catch Sakura by the mask.

"We're in trouble…" Yūki admitted.

Balrog slammed the Pink Bombshell into the scorching ground! It easily buried her in a crater, but added to his onslaught by unleashing a barrage of fists on her. Yūki tried to protect them, but it was too much. He cracked under the pressure literally.

"Goodbye, Little Fly." Balrog stated. He rose one of his hooves over the beaten Sakura.

Sakura somehow survived, but she wasn't getting up anytime soon. Naruto snapped out of his stupor, "Will you listen to me now? I need your absolute focus!" He would do whatever it took to protect Sakura! To protect… His big Sister!

Soyokaze used her 25% to channel SWM into Naruto's eyes. His eyes took a green tint, awakening a sight beyond sight! He could see a kind of point?

"That is the Oxygen Point. Not time, just cut it NOW!" Soyokaze declared!

Naruto wasted no time. He flew with wings aided by SWM lit aflame! He flapped his wings hard enough to molt feathers, that took the brunt of his fire. Balrog stomped down on Sakura, but was blocked by a BOE that blew the flames away! The recoil did cancel out the BOE.

"You got a little fight after. That is good. I quite enjoy breaking the Willful Types." Balrog grinned.

Naruto stood between the recovering Sakura, who was at least on a knee, with Soyokaze's Butterfly Sword at the ready. "Soyokaze… Where did the dots go? Did I lose my vision?" he couldn't see them anymore.

"No… His flames just got hotter." Soyokaze gulped. Naruto gulped with her. Sakura had recovered and managed to hold most of Yūki together.

Meanwhile inside the Lightning Lair, Sasuke's Sharingan panicky tried to keep up with the flashing lights and firing missiles! He didn't even know what those were until he stepped inside the Mad Mirror House Light Show! Vancelot the Advanced truly earned his title.

An Automaton that could summon all manners of weaponry from within secret and hidden panels throughout his body. Many Trolls and Warlocks/Witches met a swift end by chainsaws, laser beams, and the before mentioned explosive missiles!

No one could so much as scuff Vancelot! Sasuke's arm was completely numb and paralyzed, hanging limply. It was only thanks to his eyes he stood any chance of survival.

"This is futile. So many stepped in, so unprepared. Failure results in deletion." Vancelot monotone.

Ino and a few Warlocks faired better. They were able to evade the lasers, simply by firing their own lasers at mirrors at the right angles. All the lights and his inexperience with the Sharingan made for one horrific experience. It was too much to focus on!

Sasuke saw a missile locked in on him! He shot a burst of purple MLM to stop its momentum and try to deactivate it. It stopped it, but it still detonated when it struck the ground! The force blew Sasuke back, Ino tried to catch him, but she just slammed into the wall with him.

The stress was too much for Sasuke's mind to bare. "Sharingan 1.5" his vision blurred briefly, which wasn't helped when he was struck by a zapping laser beam!

"Which would you prefer? Chainsaws, Lasers, Flail, I have various kinds of missiles. I have lightning missiles, exploding missiles, adhesive missiles…" Vancelot ranted.

Both Ino, Sasuke, and a few Warlocks recovered and refused to give in. The once two armed Automaton revealed each of the missiles he mentioned and then some. A lot of that Bravado left them…

Meanwhile in the Water Lair, Hinata had to use every brain cell to focus on not drowning. She literally had to force Levivua's green MWM away from her face. Ignoring the fact the entire Lair was flooded with her sweat.

Levivua the Suppressor. A slithery beast with purple scales and sweats green water said to be her pure LF. The waters were completely under her control. She slithered through the green depths with such swiftness, many ended up in a watery grave.

Levivua could crush you with water pressure. She could literally open whirlpools with you in the center. Turn the surrounding water into pins and needles. She could boil the water and freeze the water. Only Hinata and seven other MWM Barriers remained. Hinata's was Lavender, thus far Levivua seemed to burst bubbles by color.

A red Bubble swam and maneuvered as best it could away from the Slithery Beast. It toyed and coiled its scaled tail around the Bubble. "I so love Fresh Exam day." With but a squeeze, the bubble burst and instantly drowned the poor Witch.

Levivua caught a glimpse of Lavender in her sea of green. It was appeasing to her glassy eyes. She just had to see who had such graceful LF and control.

Hinata knew thanks to her Byakugan that Levivua set her sights on her. Even with her All-Seeing Eyes, the Beast was shrouded in the murky green sea. She only had seconds to thin out her Bubble and shot upward to avoid being ensnared in her tail.

Levivua was swift to give chase and she easily outpaced Hinata's thinning Bubble and went to spike it with her tail. Hinata could only widen her Bubble in preparation of the impact. She was not ready for the sheer force that was Levivua the Suppressor.

Hinata's Bubble may have survived the impact, but it still sent them both careening of the ground and rattling Hinata inside like a Prison of her own Design. The Bubble mostly popped due to Hinata getting dizzy briefly.

Hinata managed to gain focus long enough to save just enough for a Bubble Helmet. Levivua coiled her tail around Hinata, but not enough to kill her. It was mildly uncomfortable. Pulling Hinata closer to her, Levivua showed the Hyūga her one big closed eye. She didn't usually need to open her eye, but she just wanted to see more than the girl's graceful LF.

"I see you… Hinata Hyūga." Levivua said, opening that big eye to reveal ten eyes inside if it!

Bolts of lightning struck through water and hit Levivua, who was unfazed; at least physically. She was not thrilled to have her moment taken. She throw Hinata away so not to accidently crush her. The force of the throw buried Hinata in an underwater tomb. It was down to just three other Bubbles and Hinata's slowly fading Bubble…

I feel this is a good stopping point. How do you all think Naruto and the Gang will defeat such Imposing and Fear inducing Foes? Do you think Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, and Shino will fair any better? We'll see in the next Chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

Alright. I got one review so far. Hopefully more will come. I don't own Naruto.

The Earth Lair was pretty Spartan compared to the others. It was barren with just a few rock formations; oh and the numerous craters, and hand prints scattered all over.

"Come on now. Surely you have more to offer. You all have yet to truly endure!" An Otherworldly woman proclaimed!

She was slender with orange skin and dark brown flowing hair. She stood on her hands, letting her feet dangle about. She used those tiny feet to parry and evade the many blows and magical spells/charms thrown at her. All while on her hands! She moved with an awkward grace that defied flexibility.

So many Far and Warlocks had come to the Earth Lair with their hearts set on obtaining Sage Silk, but Gerra the Sage was having none of their weakness.

"Only those who charge at me with unwavering hearts may even hope to obtain my Sage Silk." Gerra declared.

Most who attacked did so at a distance. Waves and whips of various colored water attacked and lashed at her. Gerra would just hop off the ground with her hands filled with SEM and flung globs, sometimes boulders worth, of various kinds of material. All of which could crush, suffocate, burn somehow, or even petrify you stone solid! Hell one time Choji saw her turn someone so brittle a breeze literally blew them away like dust!

All of the smart Warriors to be tried their best to keep her at a distance. Choji was not one of them. He rushed Gerra with Ikuji battle crying him all the way! The orange woman welcomed the challenge by leaping into the air and meeting Choji's SEM infused fist with a rocky fist of her own!

The force of the clash sent Choji crashing and tumbling against the ground. Ikuji took control and slammed the ground, helping Choji recover. Too bad Gerra was already in his guard, her feet planted deep in Choji's chest via a dropkick. The impact sent trembles throughout his body; rocking literally every bone in his body. He was sent soaring away, a collision of any hard surface would surely kill him.

He was saved when several water nets slow him down enough to safely stop him. They slowly, but surely healed Choji and keep him away from Gerra's attention in the form of earth projectiles via spikes, flails, and even shrapnel.

"Why are you doing this?" Choji asked weakly.

"You are the only one left with enough strength to even confront her. There are only 5 of us left!" A Warlock, who helped guide the flowing waters, told him through the MWM.

Soon that total was dropped to just three. The person who helped the first Warlock with the MWM had been taken down; literally in a pitfall. The other victim, a Fire Fae, was hit by a Petrification Stone and turned to a statue.

"It's now or never!" the Warlock panicked!

He released Choji and put up a defense just in time to prevent getting skewered. His waters turned the needles to mud, but Gerra easily dried out her SEM and went for the kill! Choji drug Ikuji on the ground mid charge to collect material, slammed his fists together to let the SEM gather in both arms.

"SEM: Wall of Protection (SEM:WOP) !" Choji declared!

The Akimichi slammed his SEM covered hands on the ground and formed a wall made of the toughest materials he could find at such short notice. Gerra easily got through the wall, but the Warlock was able to slip out the way via a literal water slide. The Warlock joined Choji and Ikuji. Gerra clapped her feet together merrily. It seemed some people had the right stuff after all!

"SEMA!" Choji and Ikuji roared! They covered themselves in SEM, rolled into a Boulder three times their size, and shot off at Gerra full speed ahead! The Warlock added to their speed with slick MWM.

Gerra used her connection via her hands to craft all manners of obstacles for Choji to overcome to get to her. Choji barreled through the first layer of walls, then the second layer of spiked walls, all the way to Gerra herself! The orange woman used her feet to try to stop the rolling Akimichi. The force sent them both back.

Gerra's feet touched the ground for the first time. It sent fissures throughout the area that thrust all bodies into the air violently. "Sorry, my feet don't really like getting dirty…"

Meanwhile, in the Dark Lair, no light entered the unknown place. No one who entered knew what was inside or even how many of them were left. Shikamaru only knew because he would send sparks of his MLM throughout the Lair. They would either be snuffed out or absorbed and gave the Nara a brief idea of the person.

"Great… Only 6 of us left… This is such a drag… Now I have to set up some kind of Mental Link with complete strangers in the dark…" Shikamaru groaned.

The main problem with being in the dark wasn't just not being able to see, but also hear as the entire place was soundproof; except for a young voice that randomly cut through the silence. Shikamaru kept every saying it said in memory. Each one seemed to be based around the idea of perseverance. Too bad the darkness was beyond even his control of MDM.

"Haven't I preserved enough already?" Shikamaru sighed.

Shikamaru sent a spark of MLM to sense his surroundings, when it hit something and the feedback he got truly sent fear into him. "It… Couldn't be!"

"So… You found me. Good for you, but what am I in this realm of darkness?..." A voice called out.

Suddenly, Shikamaru heard several screams of terror. He sent out sparks, but only found 2 other LFs in the room. The others must have been engulfed…

"Fear manifests itself differently to each person. It is just as unique as the minds it cripples. For some, fear is loneliness…" the voice called out.

One could almost hear the buckling knees and teeth chattering from one of the only survivors left. After all, for all they knew they truly were alone with a monster in the dark.

"For some, it is old age…" the voice called out. Someone in the room could only scream, first loudly but steadily getting more weathered, as if they aged rapidly.

"For you, Nara, it is responsibility…" the voice said, sending true terror into Shikamaru's heart.

Suddenly, a flash of light temporarily blinded Shikamaru and when he recovered he paled white as a ghost. In front of him was an ambiguous, and yet still strong willed, woman glaring down on him.

"Shikamaru, you Lazy Ass! Stop daydreaming and watch our kids!!" His wife demanded with a voice that outdid even his mother!

A literal dozen kids came running after them! All girls and all stopped as one and controlled their shadows like true Naras! He was paralyzed long before he could even think of fleeing.

"Time to play Daddy! What should we do?" one of the bright yellow haired Nara girls asked.

"Maybe dress up ?" another black haired Nara girl asked, holding a dress.

"Well he would need some make up right?" Another black long haired Nara asked, hands carrying all manner of make up tools.

"No…" Shikamaru, aged to that of at least 30 something, cried.

His eldest daughter, 16 years old looking like a female version of himself back in his youth, was having none of that. Her control over his shadow was so potent she could make him smile a real smile; though he still cried tears.

"Tears of joy. For mother is with her 17th child!" The eldest Nara girl proclaimed. Their mother holding onto her belly to confirm. All the girls cheered merrily!

"NOOOOO!!! I REBUKE THIS!!!" Shikamaru declared with all his might! He sent MLM directly to his brain to search for the MDM causing said illusion. Instead he found an answer.

Shikamaru felt the presence of others beyond the false family. He even felt whoever the Lair Beast was. That was when his fear subsided. The family vanished one by one; why?

Shikamaru wasn't afraid of the dark; he was afraid of being alone like most people, but the vision showed him he was never alone. What was the point of all his genius, if only he knew about it? His was a genius that needed to be shared and explained.

"Well that's the first step…" Shikamaru gulped.

Shikamaru's spark had sent him terrible feedback. The once few dozen that entered had been reduced to just three, four including him. The other victims were still disillusioned, "Now comes the hard part…"

The mysterious Lair Beast let some of its countless arms stretch towards the Nara! There was no escape, no way of knowing where or what was coming. All he could do was move and hope he could find the others to formulate some kind of plan. All plans involving Shikamaru fighting alone proved to lead to failure.

Too bad for the Nara, something gripped his leg with iron lock strength! It dragged him further into the unknown, Shikamaru clawing desperately to escape! It couldn't end like this! His saving grace came in the form of a literal blast of heated light burning away the darkness engulfing his leg.

From the darkness, a Fire Fae used his Solar Fire Magic (SFM) to literally generate rays of canary yellow light from his wings. The light couldn't completely light the Liar, only the corner Shikamaru found himself in. The Fire Fae swiftly flew to Shikamaru before whatever the Lair Beast was came for them. Wisps and hands of darkness in fact tried to keep the Fire Fae from the Nara by grappling or ensnaring him. Shikamaru got his wits about him and fired a blast of Aero Blue lightning to stun the darkness momentarily. His blast sent streaks throughout the darkness, but it was soon snuffed out.

"Don't make me regret this, Nara. There has to be more to you NEEEEERD! Sorry forgive habit. Anyway think of something!" the Fire Fae said in desperation! He was burning off feathers to produce his light and it was slowly beginning to fade.

Shikamaru sent as much MLM to his brain as he safely could. There had to be something he could…

"Ah! You Dumbass Nara! I'm hit! It's got me! You failed! I blame you! I blame Yooooo…" the Fire Fae screamed.

The darkness had finally taken his last feather in the time it took the Fire Fae to even reach Shikamaru. Without the light, the darkness consumed him and the Nara felt his LF fade into nothing. The weight of it all just crushed Shikamaru. For all he knew, he was truly alone with that Beast…

Meanwhile, in the Wind Lair. The Lair itself was more so the forest. No walls, no boundaries, and the Lair Beast made it so there was no ground to safely anchor to. Zephyr the Tempest control over wind was so absolute that it didn't have a physical body. It was truly one with the wind to the point it lifted all the Warriors to be high above the trees and kept them there!

Those who were freed from its winds were laid to rest in shredded pieces before they were carried away in a breeze. 13 would be Warriors/Amazons were left in the air to be dissected by Zephyr. Not even the logical Shino could think of a way out of it.

Shino, a member of the Aburame, made use of specialized Fiend Insects granted to them by their mixed ancestry of Fae and Fiend. Born with a Fiend heart, the Fiend Insects treat their host as a hive with the host's brain being the queen. The hive gave them substance in the form of LF and helped them evolve beyond anything the Fiend Insects could do without. Too bad Zephyr blew any of his Fiend Insects away with extreme prestigious and kept them away from their hive. Shino had to keep his remaining Fiend Insects inside his heart.

Kiba could only grit back the pain. His body was wrecked with cuts and bruises from literally being blown into the ground violently, through some trees, and then back into the air again! Akamaru managed to keep some of the winds away from him by spinning his red Physical Energy (PE) around him in a twisting fang (Physical Energy Fang), but every time he stopped Zephyr was waiting.

"Kiba, you Pussycat Omega! Stop flailing like a trout and help me!" Akamaru barked for only Kiba to hear.

Kiba's heightened senses only made the sting from his Avatar's words all the more painful.

"You take that back, Akamaru! I am an Alpha! You'll see!" Kiba declared!

Kiba unleashed his Physical Energy Claws (PEC) in the form of Coral Orange sparks of LF. His physical attributes were enhanced. With each swing of his claws, coral orange claw marks were literally tore into the air and aimed at… Nothing. So Zephyr redirected the blow to a helpless Akamaru.

"Sigh… Not even surprised…" Akamaru groaned.

Akamaru tried to use his Physical Energy Fang (PEF) to defend himself, but Zephyr just blew it away and left him open. Kiba could only cry out in horror as his own attack was used to take out his Avatar.

"No… It can't be… I… I know I am the Runt of my Pack…" Kiba realized.

Kiba tried to fight back the tears of shame. Try as he might, he could never escape the shadow of his Beta sister Hanabi Inuzuka, right hand to their Alpha Tsume Inuzuka. The Pack looks at him as if he was an Omega, or the lowest of the low. Zephyr doesn't let Kiba's break down memory lane stop him and littered the Inuzuka Runt with wind scars and cuts.

"Why am I so irrelevant? My clan is the last Remaining Lycan clan! Our Avatars, Akamaru especially, are dead and choose to aide us even beyond the dead!" Kiba ranted to himself.

Kiba was helpless to stop the Invisible Lair Beast's ripping assaults. Zephyr seemed to be focused on ripping Kiba several dozen new assholes, giving Shino time to adjust. His wings finally caught the wind and he was able to fly over to Kiba. He had to sacrifice some of his Fiend Insects (FI) to free Kiba from the storm of winds.

"Do not make me regret this. You are an Inuzuka. You have a natural resistant to all forms of magic. Use your senses. Use SE and focus. Don't talk about being an Alpha. Be about being an Alpha; put in your best effort." Shino instructed dryly.

Even with the monotone delivery, Kiba still got the message. He knew he didn't have time to object so he sent his Baby Blue SE to his brain. It then channeled it to his eyes and nose for further enhanced senses of sight and smell. Kiba heard a great howling in his mind that let him know his Spiritual Energy Howl (SHE) was in effect. Shino was busy trying to evade something neither of them could see, but there was something…

"Shino… I think I can smell the Beast. Is there a way you can rely the location to the remaining 8?" Kiba was smart enough to communicate via telepathy.

Kiba's newly enhanced senses literally allowed him to send his thoughts to others via touch. Shino nodded an affirmative. The Aburame sends a few FI to the struggling Warriors/Amazons to be. It seemed not even they were spared by the storming winds. Kiba kept his nose sharp and tracked the scent to one of the many trees of the forest. The origin of the smell seemed to be sitting on a tree limb, but Kiba couldn't see anything but raging winds.

"Call me crazy, but I swear I smell the Beast is sitting in that tree, but I can't see anything but wind." Kiba told Shino telepathically. He even shared his vision with the Aburame.

With Akamaru out of it, Kiba was without his Avatar, which served to enhance his own abilities greatly. All the things he was doing with Shino he usually only did with Akamaru. Desperate times though and it wasn't like he would partner up with Shino; the Aburame would have to die first.

With the location given, Shino sent the message to his FI, who lead the others to the Lair Beast by flying towards it and being swatted to reveal a being made of literal humanoid clouds. With an actual target, everyone from Fire Fae, Earth Fae, FI, and even Kiba shrouded in coral orange PE spinning like a fang came barreling at Zephyr.

"Know when to be calm…" a voice carried throughout the area.

When the magical assault finally clashed, it met no resistance and no substance. Not even the fire seemed to catch the sly Zephyr. It seemed to just slink and slunk through the plumes of fire, the boulders and spikes of earth, blew away the FI and knocked Kiba out of his spinning.

"Know when to be wild…" Zephyr called out.

The 8 were down to 3 and neither Shino nor Kiba had anything left to dish out. Zephyr had changed locations and clogged Kiba's nose. Being the only Inuzuka and Lycan there to sniff him out. All hope was lost…

Back in the Fire Lair, Sakura lay in a pile of shattered Yūki pieces. All courage and strength beaten out of her. The scorched terrain would soon consume her in flames to rid it of her body. Everywhere Naruto looked he saw mayhem. Bodies slowly being burned to ash, Warrior and Amazon hopefuls either barely holding onto life or groaning in deep pain.

"Well little Wind Fae it's been real fun, but all good things come to an end." Balrog said.

The Infernal Beast was quite proud of himself that year. He got to really flex more than he was used to. He hadn't had that much fun since an Uzumaki Fae girl came to try her hand at his Silk. He stood over the burnt Naruto with a hove ready to stomp down and squash him. Naruto's wings we're all but featherless. Only the nerve endings remained, desperate to grow more but to weak to do so.

"I know I made a point of you weak Spawn lusting for my power, but given the situation I am willing to spare some." Kyūbi bargained.

"Oh no. I wouldn't want to be like all the other weak Spawn before me who came begging for your Oh so Great Powers." Naruto retorted.

Balrog came stomping down on him, but Soyokaze managed to project a BOE of her own in a green dome of wind. The BOE burst like a balloon.

"Naruto… I am sorry. I am supposed to be the voice of reason… Yet I completely let us make such a boneheaded airhead move!... I have to pay for my mistake…" Soyokaze said.

Naruto could only cry out as Soyokaze flew from his hands and tried her best to damage the Infernal Beast. Balrog let loose plumes of crimson flames from his gaping maw. Soyokaze burst into flames and shattered under the flames.

"Damn… Totally could have avoided that if you just…" Kyūbi started, but Naruto drowned it out with his tears and blind fury.

Throwing all caution to the wind, Naruto gave in and found himself in his Soul Space. He found himself in the Boiler Room of the Giant Kitsune that was the Kyūbi.

"Can I help you?" the Kyūbi asked with a toothy grin.

Much like all the Spawns of his Father, they crumbled when their precious bonds were taken from them. They lacked the spiritual maturity his Father wished for them. The maturity to let bonds live within through precious memories even beyond death.

"Yeah… Shut the FUCK UP! I DON'T WANT YOUR STUPID POWER! I WILL AVENGE SOYOKAZE ON MY OWN AND I NEED SILENCE!" Naruto barked at the Greatest of the Bijū.

Kyūbi was honestly at a lose for words. Naruto didn't give him time to report, he simply left the Boiler Room and went to the little place he had reserved for Soyokaze. He could see she was still there thanks to the light breeze he felt in the space. The gentle, yet weak, breeze brought him great comfort and strength. He left his Soul Space with his mission in mind.

Naruto returned to reality to see Balrog about to stomp on him again. He gathered what little winds he could into his wings and used every ounce to evade. Balrog stomped down with enough force to crater the ground, but he was confused when he didn't feel the impact of Fae flesh and bone. He scanned for the blonde Fae and found him just in time to counter his AOE infused fist with a flaming one of his own. The green whirling sphere clashed with fiery knuckles as the backlash sent Naruto crashing back.

Naruto's arm was badly burned, but he refused to stay down. He was on one knee with his burnt arm hanging limply. He glared defiantly at the Infernal Beast, who just smirked. The blonde Fae lasted the longest out of the others. His endurance was definitely something to right home about.

"Well kid. I expected you to go down first, but you lasted longer than even the Fire Fae. For what it is worth; you're the coolest Wind Fae to step into my Lair." Balrog admitted.

All the others were already either gone or knocked out. Only Naruto stood even if on shaky legs. Naruto tried to hold on. He couldn't let it end there. He had to become Hokage. He had to avenge Soyokaze and Sakura. He had so much to do and yet he wasn't prepared to face such a beast. His last thought before he lost consciousness was how he would have done so much different…

Back at the other Lairs, all those who entered had been defeated. None of the Lair Beasts could be tested, let alone defeated. So many tried, at least 101 from Naruto's class alone. There were about 20 classes all together with around 80-130 students participating in each. The unconscious teens were released from the Lair seals and brought back to the entrance of the Forest of the Great Beyond. From there they were sent to the nearby Infirmary Ward where everyone was healed and patched up to the point they could at least walk on their own.

Naruto groggily awoke from his stupor. He saw the bland white ceiling common in hospitals and infirmaries and sighed deeply. He looked at the satchel to see it filled with jade shards and a small dust cloud.

"Man… We screwed up huh, Soyo-Ane…" Naruto groaned. His body was recovering from the intense burns and aches.

"You're welcome. You know I am glad you refused my power. It just showed how weak you are!" Kyūbi barked with laughter!

"I am too tired to fight you… Just shut up and heal me…" Naruto drilled mentally.

Too bad the Kyūbi went on and on about Naruto being a pathetic Spawn. How It was truly cursed to be shackled in the shitty boiler room of some piece of shit Spawn. Naruto simply endured, seeing as he was being healed. He spent that time lamenting over his failure.

"Yes we did… I was too arrogant. I let all my experience go to my head and didn't think of how we would win. I only thought we would win…" Soyokaze admitted forlornly. There she lied in literally pieces. Her wielder a broken shell of himself and a Tormenting Bijū. How could it get worse?

"I can't believe I have to go back to the Academy… Another 3 years at least…" Naruto realized grimly.

It got so much worse. That was 3 more years with a furious Izumi, lecturing Iruka, and the torment he would receive from Sasuke. He could blame no one but himself. Balrog was right in that Naruto didn't have a plan. He never really had a plan. He just winged everything. He always just went with whatever came to mind in the heat of the moment…

"Maybe I need this… I need… Patience." Naruto said to himself.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru tossed and turned in his unconscious. Darkness was all around him and all he could hear was "I blame you!" Was it is fault? Was the Fae wrong to place his trust in him? No that couldn't be.

"No!!" Shikamaru woke with a start.

"OK Mother Gale! I won't be patient! I knew I needed to get stronger now!... Wait a minute, Shika?" Naruto asked. He cursed himself for revealing his faith. No one could know of Mother Gale…

"Naruto? Damn what happened to you? You look like you got shitted out of Akuma's asshole." Shikamaru winced.

"Not that far from what happened actually. So I take it you passed? You look like you're fine; deep dark bags under your eyes though. How did you get those in just an hour?" Naruto asked.

"No. I failed. I think? I am not sure what happened really. It was so dark… I have bags? Are they permanent?" Shikamaru asked nervously.

"AH! Shut up! All of you are too loud!!" Sasuke tried to yell, but it came off like a deaf person trying to talk.

"So this is the failure ward? Well at least Sasuke is here. He sounds tone deaf, half his body is covered in some kind of pink goop, and smells like deep fried asscrack. Failure doesn't feel so bad after all." Naruto snickered.

Sasuke wanted to cover his ringing ears, but the adhesive proved too strong. Last he remembered he and Ino were dodging lasers when a literal sound missile erupted in his face and everything went black. He woke up in half a cocoon of adhesive for, what he could assume, was only for shits and giggles at his expense.

Soon the rest of the gang awoke and traded tales of their defeats. "At least the Lair Beasts didn't give us nicknames." Everyone had a laugh at that. Looking back on that day in class, sometimes mercy was a true blessing.

Before anymore could be said, they were told by a nurse to head to the conference room inside the ward. Everyone dragged themselves to the conference room; not thrilled to accept their failure. Naruto's pride took a big hit when he saw the Third Hokage smiling with pride. So sure he must have passed. Sasuke faired no better with a grinning Izumi ready to embrace him in a headlock. Inside the room were a few others, around 31 out of the 101 from their class.

"Today I saw the future of Konoha pitted against incredible odds. Each of the Lair Beast have a motto they live by and pass down to all Warriors and Amazons that step into their lairs." The Third explained.

The wizened Warlock took a scroll from his robes and opened it. With a flick of his wrist, clouds of purple SWM blew out and took the form of Balrog with his motto clear as day. 'By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.' That one hit Naruto so hard he actually flinched. Sakura also flinched. She too just rushed in with her Ikuji blazing and no idea what was waiting for her. Balrog's image blew away and in its place formed Levivua and her motto.

'Success is not final and failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.' Hinata just shrunk in her battle dress. If only that were true. Maybe for someone like Naruto, but in the Hyūga clan failure WAS fatal; or at least painful. With a flick of his wrist, Levivua vanished in a poof of smoke.

The smoke started twisting until Vancelot stood tall with his motto firm, 'We are all here for some reason. Stop being a prisoner of your past and become an architect of your future.' That pissed Sasuke off to no end. How could he escape his past if his brother was still out there? When Danzo was still around disgracing his clan!? Ino just thought about the message. Was she still a Fangirl? She thought more about protecting Sasuke than herself. Where was the logic or reasoning in that?

Vancelot came and went. In his place came Gerra, "Don't let her feet get dirty!!" Choji balled up and literally covered himself in rocks to hide; literally looking like a big random rock in a room where rocks aren't around.

'Every calamity is overcome by endurance.' Choji actually peeked from his rock before retreating back. No amount of endurance could overcome Gerra…

The Third clapped his hands and instead of showing the Lair Beast, the smoke just showed its name and motto. 'Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of the hard work you already did.' Shikamaru just grumbled. Last was the cloud humanoid that was Zephyr and his motto, 'You have to know when to be arrogant. You have to know when to be humble.' Kiba looked at the still resting Akamaru with deep thought and regret.

"I feel they have made the right decision in bestowing all 31 of you with Warrior/Amazon Silk. Congratulations on becoming Fresh Warriors for Konohagakure." The Third stated with great pride.

Izumi, Iruka, and a few other Warriors and Amazons all applauded the perplexed teens. Naruto, of course, addressed the elephant in the room in a comical big head and blank eyed moment.

"Ninja what?! We all lost! None of us were even CLOSE to defeating the Lair Beasts! Was the test just to kick our asses?!" Naruto asked almost in hysterics.

"Yeah what was all that training for 8 years for if you were just going to send us to the slaughter? What about our other classmates and other Warriors to be?" A Warlock asked in outrage.

"What kind of lunatic has a graduation exam where you have to fight death matches!? How does that boost our tank's numbers?" a Lycan girl asked. Her Avatar roaring its agreement.

The Third and all the Warriors and Amazons burst into a fit of laughter that only served to make the teens more irate. They were smart enough to only send them weak glares though. When the adults finally calmed down, a masked Warlock got their attention.

"The Lair Beasts were created to counter rampaging Bijū up to the 4 Tails when paired in a trio. The 6 of them could go as far as the 5 Tails." The masked Warlock said with a bored toned.

"I could see Shikaku, that madness ridden rodent, being taken down by Balrog, but trying to take on Son Goku? That Blowhole Ape would melt that Tailless Bijū and turn it into a statue. Hell I doubt he would be a challenge for Matatabi, let alone Isobu." The Kyūbi stated.

"Too many random names I don't know. I am going to assume Son Goku is the 4 Tails. Matatabi is either the 3 or 2 Tails and this Isobu is the 2 or 3 Tails. So you Bijū have names, what is your name?" Naruto asked.

"As if I would ever grace you with my name. I am the Great Kyūbi no Yoko to you Spawn. You refer to me by title, never my name. You vile Spawn only want the Great Kyūbi, so you will have him." The Kyūbi growled.

"Well I don't want the Kyūbi. We both know I will learn your name. I bet it is something from a manga too… Shippo?" Naruto asked his tenant.

"I can give you cancer you know. All cancer is really is cells that divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue. It shouldn't be too hard to go from healing cells to dividing them." Kyūbi retorted.

"Alright. We're cool, Kyūbi." Naruto conceded.

"There was absolutely no hope for any number of you to defeat a Lair Beast. The point of the test was to in fact give you the equivalent of a parent making a bad kid smoke a whole pack of smokes. You were supposed to be beaten and beaten good." Izumi giggled. She had Sasuke's Advanced Silk in hand just waiting for him to suck up his wounded ego and take it.

"Also no one died. They were simply rejected from the lair and sent to the same Ward you all did. They just didn't impress the Beasts enough. Now come accept your Warrior/Amazon Silks. Maybe one day you can earn them and get those shameful tags off." The masked Warlock pointed out.

All the Fresh Warriors could do was deadpan at their Silks. Once they we're accepted and woven into the wearer's preferred style (read outfits they had on beforehand) each and everyone of them found a nametag on their chest with some cheeky nicknames on them.

Naruto was Douchenozzle. Sasuke was Douchemonger. Sakura was Cuntmuffin. Kiba was Cockshiner and Akamaru, yes he even had Silk, was Cockmuppet. Shino was Carpet-Cleaner. Hinata was Weaksauce. Ino was Clitsplitter. Shikamaru was Birdbrain and Choji was Pig-Fucker. They all just had a cloud of darkness hang over their heads.

"Congratulations again Fresh Warriors. I will leave Iruka to the team assignments and will see you all tomorrow for registration." The Third explained before he left to prepare for tomorrow.

Iruka got everyone's attention and introduced the Veteran/Seasoned Warriors that would be teaching and introducing them to the Warring World of Winox. There was the Seasoned Witch Amazon Anko Mitarashi. She was a pupil-less browned eyed, fairly tall, ash gray skinned Witch with a slender frame and long violet hair done in a spiky ponytail.

Anko's Infernal Silk was woven into a fitted mesh body suit that covered her from her neck down to her thighs. Over this she wore a red overcoat with a purple in-seam and a pocket on each side, a dark orange mini-skirt, a dark blue belt, and pale grey shin guards. In addition to the typical forehead protector, she also wore a small pendant that looks like a fang and a wrist watch. She looked at the teens with a sickening grin.

There was also the Seasoned Wind Fae Warrior, Asuma Sarutobi. He was a tall Fae, with brown eyes, olive skin, short black spiky hair, and a beard. His Tempest Silk was woven into the standard Konoha Warrior uniform with the sleeves rolled up half way, flak jacket, regular sandals and forehead protector. He also wore a sash that had the kanji for "Fire" (火) marked on it around his waist, a pair of black bangles, and bandages wrapped around the arms of his sleeves. He simply enjoyed his smoke and used small gusts of jade SWM to blow the smoke out the window.

That left one of the few Veteran Warlock Warriors, Kakashi Hatake. He was easily taller than Asuma, his mask covered most of his face and his forehead protector covered one of his eyes. He had spiky silver hair often oriented to his left-side, a dark grey visible eye, and a relaxed, heavy-lidded expression; almost as if he was bored with everything. His Sage Silk was woven into a simple blue suit with a grey flak jacket, strapped up sandals and arm guards that went up to his elbows. Sasuke's Sharingan activated on its own feeling a link from Kakashi's hidden eye. "He couldn't be working for Danzo… Could he?"

There were other Warriors and Amazons there, but they had already been assigned their teams and left. Only Naruto and the gang remained.

"The following teams are as such: Team Seventeen led by Kakashi Hatake is Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata. Team Eighteen led by Anko Mitarashi is Kiba, Shino, and Ino. Team Twenty led by Asuma Sarutobi is Shikamaru, Choji, and Sakura." Iruka explained.

The statement left the remaining teens in shock! Especially Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji! There clans had been placed on teams for generations! They were tailored towards each other! Why would they change tradition when it was their turn? With the teams assigned, Asuma and Anko took their charges to go about testing them in their own ways.

"So… Who wants to break ice here?" Kakashi asked.

Ending it here. I have been absent for some time, but I am content with what came out. Tell me what you all think? What do you think of the team formations? I chose Anko over Kurenai as a Sensei because I feel she would have been a better Sensei for what Team 8 is known to specialize in: Tracking! She uses snakes! Have we ever SEEN Kurenai actually track anything besides Asuma?


	7. Chapter 7

As always I don't own Naruto.

It was Fresh Exam day and one Anko Mitarashi couldn't contain her excitement! AAAAAAAAHHH! OH KAMI WHY IS THIS AN EXAM?! The day couldn't be any better to listen to the wails of teenagers. She was at her favorite Dango Shop, just imagining all the fun her pals the Lair Beasts were having with those green nosed brats.

Anko almost squealed in delight at the thought. Balrog was probably stampeding over them. Gerra probably had them tasting her squeaky clean feet. She dipped her treat in red bean paste, ate it in one bite, and then sipped on some red bean soup with a Aaaah!

"Careful Anko-chan. You wouldn't want to get fat in the future would you?" Kakashi asked.

Kakashi just walked into the shop with his Icha Icha Paradise in hand. He had no shame in his game, plus it was a natural female repellent. Kakashi preferred solidarity and saw relationships as more of a burden considering the state the world was in. Anko just scoffed at the very notion of her being fat. She was a Amazon for crying out loud!

"I see you giving your Icha Icha Paradise away before I get fat." Anko snickered.

Kakashi literally clutched his book to his chest and cawed like a crow at Anko, much to said woman's utter enjoyment and laughter. With that out of the way, Kakashi took a seat next to Anko and put some files on the table. Anko took stock of how many there were and was a bit surprised at how many there were. There were less than normal, must mean the current generation was weaker than usual.

"Only 31 of them passed this class year? Our class graduated 4 years before them and we had 75 passes. We were in a World War though. Who have you picked for your team?" Anko asked while skimming the files.

"That would be telling my sweet Anko. We better get to the Hokage's office for the team assignments." Kakashi said.

"Man we must be late if you are on your way." Anko jested.

"Nah. I am just excited for once. It is no secret Naruto is my Sensei's son and Sasuke is an Uchiha with an active Sharingan. So those two are no brainers, but my last student is a mystery." Kakashi stated, giggling at a certain scene.

Anko finished her snack and they both disappeared in various bursts of speed. Kakashi used Hyper Speed, or traveled at the literal speed of lightning. Anko burrowed underground and traveled too deep to leave a trail. Kakashi appeared first with small traces of electricity he had to dust off himself. Anko popped up next and both walked into the office to see they were just on time.

"I am glad to see you take your new responsibilities as a Sensei seriously, Kakashi. It is rare to see you on time for anything barring missions." The Hokage jested.

The office had some of his most promising and seasoned Warriors/Amazons inside ready to teach the next generation of Warriors/Amazons. The Hokage ultimately decided what Warrior would get what team, but he was open enough to allow them to have their own opinions and thoughts on who they trained. The Third took out some files and passed them around. Inside the files was his suggested teams.

It was a straight forward team assignment: Team 17 would be Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura led by Kakashi. Team 18 would be Kiba, Shino, and Hinata led by Anko. Team 20 would be the traditional Ino-Shika-Cho trio led by Asuma. Other teams would be led by other Warriors/Amazons. Once everyone saw the file, the Third opened the floor for suggestions.

Kakashi looked around and saw everyone was fine with the arrangements. He was a little disappointed he would have to be the one to make a suggestion. True he was among the strongest in the office, but he figured Santa Yamanaka should have seen or sensed the problems with the teams. Oh well.

"Since no one else has a suggestion. I would prefer my team to be Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata." Kakashi stated.

"Here we go." Hayama Shirakumo rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Hayama was a Veteran Wind Fae. He had long dull gray hair in a ponytail. He had a scar running down his right lip with deep eyes. He wore his Sage Silk in the standard Konoha uniform with short sleeve, and only one traditional Uzi swirl on his left shoulder. He wore fingerless gloves and his Sentient Weapon, a thin Katana, was strapped horizontally to his back.

"Why are you taking the literal eyes of my team? My team will be future Hunters/Huntresses and if you take Hinata I am left with who?" Anko asked.

It wasn't something she took pride in, but Anko beat out her friend, Kurenai Yūhi, for the promotion to Veteran. Kurenai was a Specialized Amazon in MDM, but Anko was better suited to Hunting due to her time with the Torture and Interrogation Department. More times than not, she had to track down her 'clients' for a 'session' in her office. Being a newly minted Veteran meant she really had to make something of her first team.

"Why not Ino?" Kakashi asked simply.

"So you wish to break the tradition of the Ino-Shika-Cho? Their oath to Konoha is implemented by the formation of that team. They are trained to work together." The Third explained.

Apart of that tradition was having a Sarutobi give them the Clan Earrings to symbolize the clans whispering into their ears. Konoha was built on diversifying and allowing each clan to keep their traditions without worry of others coming and breaking them. Without the backing of at least one of the Nara, Yamanaka, or Akimichi clan heads it would be disrespectful at best.

"No I am not. Nothing can break the bonds the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi have formed in Konoha. That being said, the Ino-Shika-Cho team is well-known and there are teams from other villages specializing in countering them." Kakashi stated.

It was true. Kakashi had worked with several teams and several members of each of their clans. He knew the power they had together, but when the members had to work outside their Ino-Shika-Cho they tended to suffer. Santa Yamanaka, Daen Nara, and Shitō Akimichi were just a few of those clans who weren't paired up as Fresh Warriors in the formation and thrived anyway. They served as an example of what each clan brought separately.

Asuma just took out a cigarette, lit it with a breath of fire and took a drag. He blew out the smoke and just smirked. The Third gave his son a subtle glare. The two talking with just looks. 'Now is not the time for your silly rebellion against tradition.'

"I see some merit to what Kakashi says. I have read Ino's file and observed her the past few months leading up to the exams. Ino is rather… Uppity. I would rather deal with Sakura. She has the temperament factor needed to keep Shikamaru and Choji in line, but a lot less sass." Asuma agreed.

"Uppity you say?" Anko asked with her interest peeked.

The Third locked eyes with his son. While he had final say, he wasn't the Professor from only listening to himself. The Warriors and Amazons assembled before him were some of his best. He trusted them to carry out the most important of missions and commanding other Warriors/Amazons on the field. Perhaps some traditions could be skipped from time to time.

"I talked to General Shikaku about it and he thought it would be funny. Said it would really give his heir something to think about." Kakashi added after the fact.

"I do like the idea of breaking the uppity Ino and making her into a strong Amazon through years of torture." Anko admitted.

"You mean training…" Asuma hoped more than said.

"I know what I said. I wonder if she has any poison tolerance. Imagine a target being mentally paralyzed, but still able to feel all the wonders I induce physically… " Anko drifted off into her thoughts.

"Alright. New team assignments will be Team 17 Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata led by Kakashi. Team 18 Shikamaru, Choji, and Sakura led by Asuma. Finally, Team 20 Kiba, Shino, and Ino led by Anko. I look forward to seeing the new possibilities of this generation." The Third explained. He took a pull of his pipe and exhaled with a chuckle.

The Warriors/Amazons all left to get their charges from the Ward. The Third went about registering the new teams into the ranks of Konoha. He looked at his standard team list based on both his own understanding of the files along with the Council. He shook his head when he really thought about Team 17. How did he miss teaming Hinata with Naruto?

Their grades were close enough to where teaming them up was possible and no one would object. Plus both teens tended to boost up the other; give the other hope. Not to mention Asuma was considered a surrogate Nara. Ino would run over all 3 of those lazy men, but Anko would… Oh Kami Anko would make it worst. So deep in his thought, he didn't realize he signed the official teams and handed it to his secretary who seals it and sends it away.

"What have I done…" The Third was frozen in fear.

Meanwhile, Kakashi, Anko, and Asuma strolled to the ward to pick up their teams, or possible teams.

"I wonder what kind of test I will give them. Kakashi what test are you doing?" Anko asked.

"The tried and true Bell Test." Kakashi answered with his nose still in his book.

"Haven't you read that volume already?" Asuma asked.

The Wind Fae flicked the cigarette butt and blew it into the trash along with a plume of smoke. He dug in his pocket and pulled out another to smoke. He really enjoyed sticking it to his Old fashioned Dad. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. He tried a long time ago to tell the Old Earth Fae that times were changing and he was getting left behind.

"Icha Icha Paradise is a series that gets better with each read. It is a deconstruction of the male role in love and the female role in action." Kakashi defended.

No one understood the complexity of such literature. There was nothing wrong with reading a story about a super strong woman wanting a hopeless romantic man who is scared of her power and tries to get all the wrong woman. Prime example of looking underneath the surface of the text. Sure it could be seen as smut, but the characters slowly developed thanks to the aforementioned context of deconstructing the genre and gender roles.

"Sure... So… The Bell Test is so outdated. If they are going to be Hunters. I am going to have them hunt." Anko stated with a smirk.

Out slithered an orange snake that hissed at Anko, "Oh yesss, Seymour… No mercy…" Seymour nodded and slithered back inside her robes. It let out a low hiss of excitement.

"Well… I don't know what my team is anymore. I will just wing it honestly. Sakura is my polar opposite as a Fire Fae, but I know enough about SFM to help her along." Asuma shrugged.

Traditionally the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had no 'set' assignment. Anko's team were Hunters/Huntresses. Kakashi's team was basically the Rouge, or Counterattack, team. Ino-Shika-Cho could be Intelligence and Potions/Sulfurs, Heavy Assault, Counter intelligence, the list goes on. They have always been a strangely diverse trio. It would be interesting to see the trio split and have to aide other clans to greatness.

With their plans in motion, they found themselves in the Infirmary Ward. They saw the comatose teens recovering from their encounter with the Lair Beasts. "HA! The Foxy Brat actually went into the Infernal Lair! Balrog must have had a blast!"

"Why does that fill you with joy?" Asuma asked just out of sheer curiosity.

Anko gripped her Infernal Silk lovingly, "There is no burn like a Balrog burn." Asuma was smart enough to not dignify that. Judging by Choji curled in a ball talking about feet, Gerra really put her foot in his head. Kakashi just strolled into the conference room and leaned against the wall with his Icha Icha Paradise.

Soon the rest of the Warriors and Amazons entered the room. They all bowed in respect when their leader, the Third Hokage, appeared in a burst of heat. His decrepit wings carrying dust with each flap.

"Looks like we have quality over quantity this year. Let's see what's become of the Fresh Warriors and Amazons of this generation." The Third declared.

It was better than they could hope for. The hope was dashed from the teens that walked before them. Gone were the best and brightest of the Academy. There stood broken boys and girls ready to be molded into men and women; Warriors and Amazons. The Third took some joy in the shock the teens showed in the big reveal. Cruel it may be but it was better than sending upstarts into possible death battles; it wasn't called Warring World of Winox for nothing.

The Third left ready to take and register the Fresh Warriors and Amazons. Logging them in the grand vault of records among the other teams of Konoha. It would be fun to compare Naruto and Sasuke's careers against the two they want to best the most.

Anko simply walked with her team through Konoha. No one knew what to say to the… Openly-Styled Witch. It seemed she had a destination in mind, but she didn't say anything. No introduction, no explanations, she have nothing!

"Do not cross her, Kiba… She is beyond us…" Akamaru barked lowly to his Host. Kiba nodded and pulled the strings to his hood.

Anko suddenly broke out into a full sprint! Without much choice, "Shit she's bailing! Follow me!" Kiba gave in to Akamaru, who used their shared PE to evoke their Wild Pursuit. Using their Orange and Red PE they followed Anko's LF no matter her speed! Kiba fueled it while Akamaru tethered Shino and Ino to them, making sure to tell his new teammates to brace themselves.

The Wild Pursuit was on and Kiba could admit to having troubles keeping up. The speeds alone were not something he was used to, let alone her almost odorless scent trail. Suddenly, Anko threw something orange away and kept sprinting. Kiba was too much into the pursuit to stop, Shino managed to send one of his FI after the orange object.

Soon they were out of Konoha Proper and deep into the Training Grounds of Konoha. Passed Training Ground Three, past Training Ground Seven, they went past training grounds they didn't even know where training grounds. They ran until they saw a mountain with a red clover pit in its center.

Anko finally stopped in the center of the red clover pit on top of a small statue. "Welcome to Akagahara. You may have your Warrior/Amazon Silks, but it is up to me whether I waste my time training you."

"Another test?! Can you at least introduce yourself or explain ANYTHING to us?" Ino asked.

It was driving her crazy! First she wasn't apart of Ino-Shika-Cho! She was just Ino Yamanaka with Kiba Inuzuka and… Shino Aburame… Why? Why Shino Aburame…

"Alright, Clitsplitter. I am the Sexy Anko Mitarashi!" Anko introduced with a seductive pose.

Kiba had the decency to blush heavily. Shino just looked at her dead ass in the eyes with pitch black shades. Ino seethed in envy; how did she do it? What did she eat? How much did she eat? What juice did she drink?!

"You are officially Warriors and Amazons, so it is time you learned the truth of your old classmate, Naruto Uzumaki." Anko got serious.

It was apart of the rule after all. All Fresh and above Warriors and Amazons had to know of Naruto's Abomination status for everyone's safety. Ino was colored intrigued. Akamaru's ears perked up and Kiba be grudgingly listened too.

"On the day of the Kyūbi Incident, the Yondaime couldn't kill the Bijū. Instead he sealed it, at the cost of his life, into the only available vessel. Naruto was chosen to be the Abomination for the Kyūbi due to being an Uzumaki. A living vessel for the Greatest Bijū." Anko explained.

It was something all the Sensei would have to explain to their teams. Sure, Naruto may not like it, but it was better to be honest and let them know of the danger. Honestly, Anko thought Naruto had what it took to tame the beast.

Seeing the shell-shocked looks on the teens was perfect. Suddenly, Anko leapt into the air and Seymour erupted from the ground! The once slim snake got as big as it needed to swallow the statue whole! With a hiss, Seymour slithered towards the mountain with Anko right behind it.

Suddenly, marionettes rose from the crimson clovers and equipped their razor claws to attack. "POISON! Everything about them smells of poison!" Anko raced up the mountain top and waited on top with Seymour.

"Let the hunt begin." Anko said with a smirk.

Meanwhile, Asuma took his team to Konoha Tea Avenue. It was pretty populated at the time. Most were out buying their teas and other sweets. Team Twenty found themselves at Amaguriama. It was one of two of the more popular chestnut and various other sweets. Asuma bought each of his potential team members sweets.

Sakura focused on her sweets to avoid her new teammate's questioning eyes. It didn't make sense why she was placed with Shikamaru and Choji. It should have been Ino. Ino was sharper, faster, and smarter than she was. Ino belonged with the Lazy Genius and Meat Tank, not the girl with Fresh Warrior and Amazon for parents.

"Alright, I think I kept you waiting enough. As you know, I am Asuma Sarutobi. To let you all know, it wasn't originally my idea to form this team. I was actually assigned the traditional Ino-Shika-Cho." Asuma explained.

"Alright so whose idea was it? Also which of our parents OK'd this formation? It was my Old Man wasn't?" Shikamaru asked.

"Smart as they say. It was The General himself who supported Kakashi, Sensei of Team Seventeen, idea. Kakashi wanted Hinata for his team, who was going to Team Eighteen with Anko; girl doesn't know the venom she dodged there." Asuma said the last part under his breathe.

"Where was I supposed to go, Asuma-Sensei?" Sakura asked sheepishly.

"You were supposed to be on Kakashi's team with Naruto and Sasuke." Asuma stated simply.

There was no pause in Sakura's response. A sound defying scream of, "WHAAAAT!" echoed throughout the village, followed by a tower of raging crimson flames. Kakashi and his team saw and heard Sakura's outburst.

Sakura fumed for a bit, before she willed herself to calm down. Reminding herself that true love knew no distance. They were still in the same village and could still see each other; there was hope.

"I think this will be a good chance for us to show that village loyalty we all fight for. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio and feared and respected throughout the lands. It would be both a test of your character and skills to learn to work with and even compliment an unknown teammate." Asuma explained.

"Which brings me to my next point. While you are officially Warriors and an Amazon, it is up to me to make you an official team. To do so, I am going to test you. You have until dusk to come up with a brand new formation for this brand new team." Asuma explained.

Asuma got up, paid the bill, opened his wings, and took off with a few stray black feathers being left from his wings. Shikamaru just sighed deeply while rubbing his throbbing head. Choji just ate his snacks at a fevered past in order to not let them go to waste. Sakura looked down at what remained of Yūki, just a shard big enough to be a pendant.

"Alright, I need a full example of your magical abilities, Sakura. I need them fast. We only have two hours before dusk." Shikamaru stated.

Shikamaru could not come up with a working formation without knowing all his teammates on some level. Sure, he had seen Sakura's SFM before, but not in much detail. He knew Choji, as well as himself, were best at stalling. Choji was also a heavy hitter, but Sakura was an unknown.

"Well… I can…" Sakura started, but Shikamaru stopped her.

"You misunderstood me. I didn't mean a verbal explanation of your skills. I mean a more practical example. There's a small log posting in my clan estate not too far from here. If we hurry it will only take a few minutes!" Shikamaru explained.

The trio raced to the log posts used for training young Warriors in certain types of magic. Shikamaru showcased his tried and true MDMP (Mystical Darkness Magic: Possess) to connect both his and Sakura's shadows. It sent a violating chill up her spine that literally paralyzed her.

"The MDMP works by converting LF into MDM and using it to manipulate existing shadows; though using our shadows is the easiest. Whatever shadow we are connected with are under our control and must mimic us." Shikamaru explained.

Shikamaru had Sakura simply wave her hand at first. Then he did a slit neck motion to show her the lethality of the skill. He then explained the LF needed to maintain it is draining. Shadows were also needed and too much light or darkness weakened it.

Choji used his clan's SEMA (Solar Earth Magic: Augmentation) to use the ground below to turn his arm into that of a giant golem's rocky appendage. Sakura took calming breathes and summoned Yūki expecting to feel the burning courage and feeling of power. To her shock, Yūki only covered the center of her forehead and instead of her fists engulfing in flames for her SFMCB (Solar Fire Magic: Cherry Bomber) only her index finger burst with a spark of pink fire.

"This isn't the time to paint your nails, Sakura. Time is running out." Shikamaru stated in annoyance.

"I'm not! Something is wrong with Yūki. I didn't have any time to recover after the exams." Sakura panicked.

That made Shikamaru think for a moment. All of them experienced their first lose and hadn't even had a day to recover and think about what happened. If Sakura couldn't even use her default magic skill, Shikamaru went to use his MDMW (Mystical Darkness Magic: Weaver) to try to turn his shadow into a tangible tendril, but all that happened was his shadow wiggled and wailed around before turning into a hand and falling back in line with his shadow.

"What the fuck? Choji! Use your SEMWOP!" Shikamaru proclaimed.

Choji flinched out of shock, but did as told. To his shock, a ramp was made instead of a wall. Are you serious?! Their magic wasn't working right?!

"Oh just great! We only have an hour left to come up with a new formation." Shikamaru stated. He sat down and got into his thinking pose.

Sakura paced around trying to think of SOMETHING to do! She may not have wanted to be on their team before, but she was there and she wanted to be her best. What Asuma-Sensei said really spoke to her. She too could be a well-known Amazon. Maybe even make the Haruno name known! It was just hard to focus when her Infernal Silk kept on burning her belly! It burned so much it actually was itchy!

Choji polished Ikuji, who was strangely silent since the exams. Polishing over the many dents reminded the Akimichi, he would need to buff them out afterwards. A scent really stung Choji's nose; a strong scent. A scent that was too strong to place. Was that his Sage Silk? Was that scent… FEET?!

"Alright." Shikamaru stated. He rose to his feet and looked at the sky. Their time was up and Asuma-Sensei could be seen flying their way.

"This sucks…" Shikamaru sighed.

Meanwhile earlier that day…

"So who wants to break the ice here?" Kakashi asked.

How should Kakashi play with his cute Fresh team? Should he come off as bored and aloof? That would be easy enough. Or he could also adopt his Veteran persona, but that persona was too risky when adopted around comrades. What to do what to do with the teens before him?

"Well… The three of us already know each other." Hinata replied.

"Not to mention you already know us too. If you really are a Veteran, then you will have seen our files by now." Sasuke added.

"Big talk coming from the kid eye ogling with what I can only assume is THE power boner. My rank isn't in question here, Fresh Douchemonger." Kakashi said with an eye smile.

Sasuke could only grunt. A growl required too much energy that he didn't have. Why was his Advanced Silk so damn heavy?! It was like wearing training weights set to just a bit too much at all times! Hinata, poor dear, was blushes red at how tight and form fitting her Suppressor Silk. No matter how she tried to adjust, her battle kimono styled Silk just kept clinging to her. Naruto was no better. He too suffered burning and itching that drove him crazy!

"What IS in question is your status as an Active Fresh Team or just Inactive Fresh Warriors/Amazon on remedial training back at the Academy." Kakashi stated with a shrug.

"Are you SERIOUS? Was Balrog not enough?" Naruto demanded in between his scratching.

"That was just to see if you had what it took to be given official rank. I decide whether we are going to be an official team. Everyone has to go through it." Kakashi shrugged.

"Oh yeah, before I forget. Since you are officially Fresh Warriors and Amazon now. You have a right to know just what you will be dealing with. The information shared cannot be shared with anyone not ranked Fresh or above and is punishable by death… Maybe, no one has really tested it." Kakashi explained.

Hinata was shocked that she would learn such a guarded village secret so soon. Sasuke paid close attention, just waiting to see if the Uchiha Incident was mentioned. Naruto had a sick feeling in his gut. There was only one thing that has that tag on it. Only one incident that was mostly kept from his peers. Just so he could make the few friends he had.

"Naruto Uzumaki is the Abomination for the Kyūbi." Kakashi said simply.

Sasuke looked at his best friend in actual shock that then turned to curiosity. Hinata openly cried for the blonde and Naruto…

"You FUCKER!" Naruto roared!

Naruto stormed up and grabbed the taller man by the hems of his Silk. How dare Kakashi tell his secret to his friends?! Who was he to tell them? To take that intimacy away from him and force it on his friends? Kakashi simply looked down at the blonde. Suddenly, a burst of sky blue MLM forced Naruto off him with a painful zap!

"They are Warriors and Amazons on Konohagakure the same as you. Each of us are weapons that keep this Tree strong. You being an Abomination is no secret and shouldn't be. You shouldn't be ashamed of it and should your seal get faulty the last thing we want is you to lose it and endanger any team you are on." Kakashi explained.

Naruto growled on the ground. The excess MLM left him paralyzed from the head to his toes.

"I actually like this guy. Wow. Been a while since I felt actual respect for a Spawn. He is right. We Bijū have been sought after for our power since you Spawn developed LF. You are a product of their lust and greed; a literal human sacrifice for power." Kyūbi reasoned.

"Back me up, Soyo-Ane" Naruto asked mentally. Too bad his partner was in a deep rest. She was still in a shattered state.

"Well meet me at Training Ground Three tomorrow morning at dawn for your test. Oh and don't eat anything or you will regret it." Kakashi stated before he casually strolled off with a wave. He left the three teens in the aftermath of his bombshell.

"Let's see how good their teamwork really is…" Kakashi chuckled darkly.

And scene! This may be a bit short, but I really wanted to get it out. Don't worry. The next chapter will be more action. Actual fight scenes and usage of Mystical and Solar Magic. If I kept going it would be too long and I would have to cut it mid battle. I would rather cut it short before the action than midpoint.


	8. Chapter 8

I don't own Naruto…

It was a storm of red clovers as the mannequins leapt and rushed the Fresh team! Each of their claws and weapons oozed an almost clear poison. They were relentless in their assaults. Coming at the Witch, Lycan, and Earth Fae with wild slashes and abandon!

Kiba unleashed his PE to use his Physical Energy Claw (PEC), but instead of a slashwave, a literal coral orange clawed hand reached out from his own and pulverized one of the mannequins! He would have smiled at his odd fortune, but it ran out swiftly. Some wooden debris managed to splinter into his hand; each needle laced with poison.

"Dammit! Why can't I do anything right?!" Kiba asked!

Kiba's hand started to go numb, slowing his reaction and leaving him open for attack! That was until Ino appeared next to him and held a triangle hand sign using both hands.

Indigo lightning began to gather in between her hands in an instant and Ino unleashed what came instinctual to her; Mystical Lightning Magic Pyramid (MLMP)! An electrical pulse repelled the mannequins away momentarily and formed a protective pyramid of indigo lightning around herself and Kiba. Elsewhere around Konoha, three of Ino's Gridlocks dissipated to fuel the pyramid; much to Ino's ire.

Meanwhile, with Sasuke and the his new maybe team. The lone Uchiha stopped what he was doing when he saw the telltale sign of one of Ino's Gridlocks lighting up.

"Oh come on! How did she get so close to my house!?" Sasuke demanded an answer!

Had she no shame? No value of privacy? The only solace he got was he saw it die out; along with any shred of affection he may have had for the crazy Yamanaka Witchling. What did women even see in him? He didn't show any interest!

"It is going to take WEEKS to reestablish those Gridlocks now that Sasuke-kun knows about them!" Ino fumed.

Knowing time was limited, Ino went over to Kiba and held his infected arm. She didn't have time to explain much, but she warned him he would feel a shock to his system. Channeling MLM into her hand and focusing it to the point it vibrated, Ino used her Mystical Lightning Magic: Scan (MLMS) to literally get a decent reading of Kiba's LF.

Ino struggled to both find the poison and then use her MLM to neutralize it. The poison was thick and heavy. Upping her voltage may cause all kinds of danger and damage to Kiba too. Sakura made it look so easy with SFM. She would just burn the poison, but lightning wasn't nicknamed Cold-Blooded Fire for nothing.

The mannequins showed intellect beyond their simple design. They didn't try to attack, instead they just waited. One might have thought they were just mere training dummies, if not for that red glow in their eye slots. Ino didn't have time to wonder when they would attack. All she could do was neutralize the poison before it spread anymore.

All Kiba could do was bare his teeth to the point they bled! His body was both numb AND seizing at the same damn time! True he couldn't feel it due to the, unnervingly fast-acting, poison, but it made for a scary sight to behold.

"Kiba! Tell Ino to drop her Pyramid. I am camped and ready." Akamaru communicated mentally to his Host.

"Ino, you gotta drop the pyramid." Kiba gritted through the pain.

"Shut up. I almost got it…" Ino told him. She needed to focus if she was to rid him of the poison without causing nerve damage.

"Ha! See! Suck it Firehead Sakura!" Ino cheered once the last of the poison was gone.

Kiba felt a bit stiff, but could at least move. Not a moment too soon. With the last of its energy depleted, the MLMP dissipated and the mannequins wasted no time rushing in for the assault! Akamaru let out a Howling Call and in an instant, dozens of Lycan Pups from his pack came to their aid. Akamaru led the charge as dozens of Spiritual Energy Fangs (SEF) spun and shredded any mannequins in their wake!

"I apologize for my absence…" Shino appeared between them.

Ino and Kiba jumped and grabbed ahold of each other out of fright, "Dammit Shino don't do that!/Damn we need to put a bell on you, Shino!"

"Yes, anyway, while the enemy was focused on Kiba, I sent my FI out for expansion. Needless to say…" Shino explained with twin clouds of several kinds of Insects buzzing behind him.

"We were successful." Shino stated. With a mental command, the FI swarmed the mannequins with intense ferocity.

"The entire 3 mile area is surrounded with wave after wave of mannequins. They are activated by the removal of the statue. Our best course of action is to retrieve it from our would be Sensei." Shino explained.

Even with the first wave of mannequins devoured by the FI, another wave soon replaced them and armed with explosive rounds! Shino recalled his FI before he lost anymore than he already had to the explosive onslaught the second wave brought. The Fresh Warriors and Amazon were forced to retreat up the mountain towards the waiting Anko.

Akamaru commanded his pack with a green ethereal cloak enshrouding him. He told his pack to buy them sometime and then glided to his Host, adding his own green glow to Kiba's baby blue. All three anchored themselves to the surface of the mountain with sheer speed and LF. Anko just smiled, eager to test the Fresh Meat.

Anko straddled Seymour's slithery hide, with a twisted smile that threatened to rip her face in half. Without warning, Anko gathered the nearby moisture and formed several bubble gum pink spheres out of it. The water spheres slammed into the side of the mountain and caused a mudslide! To add onto the horror, the mud turned into dozens upon dozens of muddy snakes! Kiba saw the danger and knew they couldn't dodge or fall back down to the mannequins. All he could do was dig deep and pray.

With a mighty roar, Kiba unleashed his PE in a bursting aura of Coral orange and unleashed his PEC in the form of a massive ethereal claw! Akamaru seconded it with another crimson ethereal claw that slammed into the mudslide and struggled to keep it back. Kiba and Akamaru had to root themselves to keep the mudslide from crushing their teammates.

Shino flew using his wings and sent FI to save Kiba and Akamaru from the mudslide. Ino calmed herself long enough to anchor herself back onto the mountainside after the FI guided her to safety; didn't stop her shivers. With a flick of her wrist, the moisture from the mudslide was sucked out and turned back into bubblegum pink spheres. The bubblegum spheres took on a deadly edge when they flew right at the Fresh Meats!

All four of them could only barely dodge the slamming spheres. The added danger of structural damage, flying debris, and the water sticking and making things slicker only made things that much harder. Ino wasn't sharp enough on her landing and slipped, causing her downfall, but with it came a chance. From her angle, she had a good shot on the stationary Anko.

Charging up her MLM, Ino took aim with both her index and thumbs in a triangle and fired her Mystical Lightning Magic Laser (MLML)! A beam of indigo light shot from the charged particle she gathered at an alarming rate! Even Anko was caught off guard by the charm, but Seymour slithered them away just in time to avoid it. Ino could only swear, hoping Shino's FI got to her before the looking predator did.

Akamaru cloaked himself in his green aura before he called his pack once again. Seymour slithered past or simply crunched on the ethereal Pups with its fangs soaked in MWM. Seymour launched off the mountain, shot a glob of pink fluids at Shino's FI to net them, and then swallowed Ino in a single gulp. Anko leapt off her snake and unleashed dozens of watery snakes from her sleeves at Shino!

Shino tried to flew up to dodge, but the snakes used the moisture in the air to length and stalk him too swiftly to escape. He was ensnared and forced to keep both himself and Anko from falling. Kiba and Akamaru cloaked themselves in coral orange and crimson auras respectively and unleashed their PE in the forms of ethereal claws in Kiba case and an energy drill, Physical Energy Twisting Fang (PETF), in Akamaru's case. Anko lifted herself out of the way, swing onto the mountainside, anchored herself, and then turned her watery snakes into a net. She scooped Kiba and Akamaru into the net and trapped the two Warriors and Lycan Avatar in bubblegum watery shells.

Anko landed next to Seymour, who regurgitated Ino, before the Yamanaka could try firing his insides with MLM. The poor teen was horribly traumatized having been eaten and then spit out. Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru were cut out of the net in a soaked mess.

"Well it was fun, but I can't pass you since you didn't recover the statue. Sometimes in our chosen lifestyles you will be given a mission with little to no intent to go on. You can't let that stop you from completing the mission." Anko lectured with deadly seriousness.

"I got it, Anko-Sensei… I got it, Anko-Sensei… I got it, Anko-Sensei…" Ino repeatedly said.

Anko recognized mental breakdown and went over to see the Yamanaka Witchling. Anko saw Ino was balled up and clutching something for dear life. Anko actually had to wrestle it out of the girl's grip; it was the statue. Placing it back on its alter, the mannequins all returned to their resting state.

"Well I be damned. You all pulled a win out your asses, or should I Seymour's ass?" Anko asked. Ino just whimpered and rocked back and forth to retain whatever sanity she had left.

"Anyway, congratulations on becoming Team Eighteen!" Anko cheered.

Shino began trying to dry out his Sage Silk, Kiba and Akamaru just shook off the water, and Ino just lied there. Seymour shrunk down to normal size and went back into Anko's sleeve. Ino must have really went deep down to get that statue; witchling really had spunk.

"I so look forward to showing you all my torture and interrogation skills! You get a week off to get registered and heal up after the Exams; so you better make it count!" Anko explained.

"Sure my skills will most likely be used ON you, but we can sweat the details later." Anko added after the fact.

"I'm sorry. I think I had water in my ear. What did you say, Anko-Sensei?" Kiba asked.

"Torture and Interrogation skills. I will most likely use them on you to showcase their effectiveness. Bye now!" Anko bid farewell. The Water Witch turned into water and fell to the ground; soaking into the ground and leaving the area.

Ino finally summed the strength to get up. She simply walked away without a word. She was fully intent on using the given week to wash the day away along with a deep brainwashing to forget being swallowed alive. Shino took a mental analysis of his overall FI Hive before he flew off too.

"You did good, Kiba." Akamaru praised. It was simple and it was all Kiba needed. The young Inuzuka grinned and just took the compliment.

Meanwhile, Team Twenty only had minutes before Asuma returned. Shikamaru held his thinking pose trying to come up with a plan. Choji just stressed ate his snacks and Sakura paced back and forth. Their magical skills must still be recovering from the earlier exam. It exposed their limits and truly pushed them beyond them.

"Sakura. Your Sentient Weapon is named Yūki. Yūki means courage, is it safe to say your SW is linked to your self confidence?" Shikamaru asked.

"Uh… Yes… Yes! Yūki does draw more strength from my confidence. That explains my SFM being out of whack." Sakura realized.

"OK. I have an idea, but I need to know can you make flares with your SFM?" Shikamaru asked. Sakura nodded an affirmative. He could work with that.

Sakura entered their shared Soul Scape. The entire plane was a thick forest of Sakura Blossom trees with petals scattered about. Yūki rested on a stone alter; only half of its mask assembled. Sakura walked up to the alter and picked up Yūki. She started to cry at the state of her Yūki. Why wasn't he talking to her? Was he OK?

"Zzzz… Huh, what's happening?" Yūki awoke. Sakura tried to explain, but it came out as a rushed and sobbing mess.

"Would you PLEASE stop crying tears on me? I was in a recovery coma for a bit, but you can still count on me!" Yūki promised. Sakura tried to stop crying, but she felt so scared and unsure.

"Look… Sakura… I know we got our asses thoroughly presented to us…" Yūki admitted. Sakura could only nod through her deepening tears.

"While I was resting. I thought back to that battle. We were too flashy and we used up too much SFM too fast." Yūki admitted. It hurt his pride, but it needed to happen.

"We were wasting your natural LF control… I… I don't want to hide your talent behind a bravado of fiery fists. We need to work more internally. We will go with the Nara's plan, but don't even attempt the CB, or the SB." Yūki explained.

Sakura could only stare at her SW with a teary-eyed smile of joy. Yūki wasn't mad at her; he actually believed in her! He chose her because he saw something worth believing in. She wouldn't let him or her new team down! She had two good legs; so she would stand up and use them!

"What can we do?" Sakura asked.

Yūki informed his wielder of their useable spells. He even used what remained of his masked form and turned into pink gloves with a small purple diamond that rested in the center of her forehead; something Sakura still found embarrassing.

Meanwhile, Choji was in his own Soul Scape. Mountains high above the clouds surrounded him and he was on a mountaintop settlement for one. Well that was new to the Akimichi.

"You know the last time I was in here there were more plains. What happened to the wall we put up?" Choji asked.

The plains calmed Choji. Their vastness and openness gave him hope. They represented his potential and how he could build and expand on himself and establish a strong personal foundation. The new mountains made him feel closed off and limited with what could do. They were more of an obstacle than a boon.

"Well that was before Gerra curb stomped our walls down and stomped us into the plains like dirt." Ikuji growled.

"Walls are a weak defense! All people do when they see a wall is try to get through or over it; no one fears walls!" Ikuji explained.

"What does that have to do with our SEM?" Choji asked.

Ikuji was always trying to reshape their Soul Scape to better adapt to their current upbringing. Choji didn't always like the change, but he couldn't deny the logic. Earth spikes did have more stalling power than a wall.

"It has everything to do with our SEM! SEM is adaptive. These mountains represent the next obstacle. Spikes make people stop and be cautious. We will be better at stalling! We will also be better protected! So trust me into our newest Upbringing." Ikuji declared.

"Well when you put it that way. Let's show the world Akimichi can thrive in any team!" Choji declared! He put Ikuji on, who got a good whiff of his partner.

"What smells like banana and hot feet?" Ikuji asked.

"It is the Sage Silk…" Choji grimaced.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru meditated and focused on his LF, specifically his MDM to try to work out whatever kinks had gotten in his control. It seemed something was spurred from his encounter in the Darkness Lair; which made sense.

Nothing had ever tested and so soundly bested Shikamaru in his young life. It shook him mentally and showed him perhaps his reliance on his family traditions had stagnated his thinking. He wanted things to be simple and mapped out, but clearly life had other plans. Even his LF was in constant flex. The Nara took calming breathes.

Converting his LF into MDM, Shikamaru took control of his shadow, and tested it's expansion. The setting sun helped him cover most of the area in a deep web of darkness. The Nara sighed in relief seeing that his MDMP hadn't been effected by his weakened mental state. Shifting his focus back to his surroundings, Shikamaru sweat dropped when he saw Sakura and Choji were under his MDMP's influence.

"Why is this so cold?" Sakura struggled to speak. She wanted to shiver, but was bound to Shikamaru.

" First shadow possession huh?" Choji chuckled.

"My bad, Sakura." Shikamaru apologized, before he cancelled his MDMP charm.

"That's something we're gonna have to get used to." Yūki shivered.

"Alright. So we're out of time. We'll figure this out and show Asuma-Sensei we're a team worth teaching. Hands in." Shikamaru led the would be team.

Shikamaru held out his hand and cloaked it in deep gray MDM. Sakura held back her tears of joy and placed her Yūki gloved hand over Shikamaru's. Choji beamed brightly at the new comradery formed. The Akimichi placed his Ikuji-clad hand over Sakura's and completed the huddle. Shikamaru used the connection to share and swap memories between the three of them via Mystical Darkness Magic: Transfer.

Asuma landed in the area silently. He was accompanied by a Fire Fae with sunglasses, the standard Infernal Silk flak jacket uniform, and a bandana styled headband.

"Team Shika." Shikamaru started.

"Cho." Choji continued.

"Cha!" Sakura finished in the way only she could.

"Ready for whatever test you have." Shikamaru declared.

"Hear that, Ebisu? The Fresh meat think they can stall you for 5 minutes." Asuma replied.

Ebisu spit out some outrageous orange and smirked toothily. He flexed his leathery bat-like wings and covered the clearing in a heatwave! The veil of the Academy had been lifted and showed them how sheltered they had been.

"Here's the scenario: Ebisu is a fleeing Seditionist wanted for intelligence theft. Your team is the first to respond. Backup is 5 minutes away along with Mind Raiders for extraction. Stall him til they get here or else." Asuma explained.

Ebisu wasted no time and took off soaring high up into the sky. Sakura opened her own wings and took off after him. Choji slammed Ikuji on the ground and used his vermillion yellow SEM to literally make a ramp made of earth. Shikamaru channeled his garnet colored MLM into his body; focused mostly in his legs.

Sakura used her LF control to focus SFM into Yūki's diamond form and shot pink heat beams at Ebisu. The Seasoned Fire Fae made evading them look like child's play. Sakura didn't let up though. Each fire beam got hotter. Each blast more precise. Their aim even seemed... Ebisu realized just in time to evade a vermillion SEM spike courtesy of Choji.

Ebisu let loose a steady stream of outrageous flames that burned the spike to ash and went to flee. Only for a giant rotating wrecking ball to get in the way! Ebisu managed to dodge, but was clipped and had to abandon his fleeing. He was low enough for Shikamaru to run up a tree like a jumping post and leap up high enough to hit Ebisu! Only he didn't? Instead he took his sunglasses and put them on.

"Now Sakura!" Shikamaru instructed!

Sakura was in position and used what little sunlight was left to fuel her Solar Fire Magic: Flashbang(SFMFB)! Ebisu was hit by a concussive blast of light that temporarily blinded him and gave them the chance they needed. Choji used his SEMR to make a spiraling ramp around the dazed Ebisu and rolled up it in his tank form.

With no time to spare, Choji grappled Ebisu with all his augmented might. He then pummeled to the ground, with Ebisu blasting him with outrageous orange flames from his wings. Sakura swooped down and slammed both hands on Ebisu's chest.

"Solar Fire Magic: Transfer(SFMT)!!" Sakura roared!

All the outrageous orange flames spewed was absorbed by Sakura, who struggled to contain it, and then released them as pink flames to be safely dispersed into the environment. Despite suffering burns, Sakura and Choji's efforts were rewarded when they all crashed on the ground and Shikamaru swiftly used his MDMP to bind Ebisu's shadow to his own.

"You think your Academy level skill can hold me? I am Ebisu an Elite Trainer!" Ebisu declared!

Ebisu released even more SFM from his body, forcing Choji to use more SEM, Sakura to increase her LF input into her SFMT, and Shikamaru to increase his LF input to his MDMP. Ebisu kept the heat turned up and the would be team were on the brink of losing their hold...

"Time's up." Asuma stated simply.

Ebisu dispelled his SFM spell, much to team twenty 's relief. Choji put Ikuji away and Sakura put Yūki away so they could focus on healing. Shikamaru just flopped on his ass and cancelled his MDMP.

"Well, Ebisu looks like backup arrived. Time to get sent back to Konoha where you'll be seeing Anko-chan and Hanafuda- chan." Asuma chuckled.

"Don't you even JOKE about that, Asuma!" Ebisu cowered in fear and why wouldn't he?

Anko and Hanafuda Yamanaka were known as the ' Full Package" at the TI Department. Anko was the physical torture expert and Hanafuda completed the set with mental torture and even emotional torture! EMOTIONAL! Hanafuda could make you feel things... Unspeakable things...

"Anyway, congrats Team Twenty!! Shika-Cho-Cha huh? You could use some work on naming formation. You get a week off so enjoy. I'll have an official Team meal next we meet." Asuma promised.

Both he and Ebisu flew off somewhere, giving the newly minted Team Twenty a much deserved breather. That didn't stop Choji and Sakura from jumping and cheering. Shikamaru smiled at his best Friend and new teammate. sure their teamwork would need more development, but in time the Shika-Cho-Cha will be a fearsome formation. To think Sakura almost went to Team 17 with Sasuke and...

"Did either of you know Naruto was an Abomination?" Shikamaru asked.

Shikamaru's view on Naruto had not changed. Naruto was still that dense, loudmouthed, airhead blonde he grew up with. If anything the revelation both answered some questions and opened the door for more questions.

"No. This is the first I am hearing of it. That might explain why he never once got sick." Sakura stated.

Sakura was more fascinated than afraid. Abominations were covered at least once every year. It was almost impossible not to mention them whenever they covered the Bijū. The Bijū played a vital role in the Balance of Power established throughout Winox. Each village had at least 1 and thus needed an Abomination. She wondered if there was a way to refine and somehow transfer the Bijū's LF to an non-Abomination.

"Or how he beat me in an eating contest. Cheating prick had a bottomless Demon inside his gut!" Choji chuckled.

The Akimichi could admit to some fear. The Academy told of Abominations losing control to their Bijū and the mayhem a Berserk Abomination could wreck. He couldn't imagine what that was like. Having a rampaging demon inside waiting to... Choji's stomach chose then to roar.

"Sounds like Naruto isn't the only one with an Abominable gut. Come on team, I'll treat us to some Amaguriama." Shikamaru promised.

Teams Eighteen and Twenty had been formed along with at least thirteen other teams from other classes. Only Team Seventeen remained to either reformed or disbanded. Their test was not until the next day. Kakashi had just dropped his bomb and left them to deal in its aftermath.

"So... Who wants to get started on the traps? Gotta be prepared right?" Naruto asked with a sheepish chuckle.

"That's a pretty lame attempt to skate around the big Abomination reveal." Sasuke deadpanned.

"Well... Being prepared is always good..." Hinata defended.

"Ha! No, none of that Hinata. We've known him 8 years! Literally half our lives and we find out he is an Abomination from a stranger? Is this true or a lie to mess us up?" Sasuke asked.

" Would you just lay off, Sasuke? This isn't something I know how to talk about... I haven't told anyone." Naruto admitted. He had to ball his fists til his knuckles turned white to stop from shaking.

"All I knew was everyone, but me and my peers knew by a death penalty. I had to find out myself when the damn thing woke up and started bitching! No one told ME! Everyone knew and treated me like an outcast for something!... I never asked for..." Naruto openly cried. He swore and tried to wipe his tears.

Hinata saw Naruto, the strongest willed person she knew, breakdown in front of her. She wanted to comfort him. She wanted him to know she saw him. She actually saw him, but she was too unsure of what to do for him.

"Hn. You're not special just because of some giant LF Fuzzbutt." Sasuke snorted.

Naruto actually chuckled at that, " I swear to the Cosmos if you start calling me that..."

"You're special because you're my rival." Sasuke stated. A vein bulged from Naruto's brow in mild anger.

" You're also my best friend. You're more and better than an Abomination. You're an Abdominal Dumbass." Sasuke somehow both mocked and praised him.

Hinata deadpanned at Sasuke. How had the Uchiha manage to troll away her big romantic gesture? Was he... No...

" Wow… That strangely made this easier. Alright here's the deal. You get 3 Kyūbi questions, but you have to reveal something just as interesting; or at least try to." Naruto snickered at the end. Pretty hard to match his level of interesting. Millions of people from far and wide would one day pay to hear his tale.

" Fair enough. Not here though. To the Uchiha District!" Sasuke called!

Naruto was about to take flight when he remembered Hinata. The Hyūga Troll ran her hand through his sunshine-like feathered wings. It was her way of asking for a ride. It put a smile on his face to know at least he had his team. He crouched low to let her brace herself on his back and took off for home. Sasuke used MLM to run at literal super speeds to cover the distance. He ducked and weaved through people and obstacles. He preferred the rush and connection gained through super speed than flying or levitating.

Once they reached the Uchiha District, Sasuke supplied the security system power box with its daily spark of MLM. Unseen to the untrained were thin wires that made an almost invisible fence. Hinata felt her Suppressing Silk tighten a bit. She felt the urge to use her Byakugan, so she gave in and activated her Byakugan code.

Hinata's lavender dotted eyes zoomed in and saw the wires were laced with traces of MLM that instead of zapping made the wires vibrate at a razor sharp frequency. There was no life for miles. That would be sad, if not for Naruto. Hirata deactivated her Byakugan and the trio made their way to Sasuke's house.

Being one of two of the only occupied homes, the Sole Uchiha's abode was warm and welcoming. Fireplace was lit ablaze by a spark from the Troll's finger. The team got seated at the living room table. Naruto looked at both Hinata and Sasuke. Who would ask what first?... Ok what would Sasuke ask first?

"Is the Kyūbi a boy or girl?" Hinata asked hurriedly! She wouldn't let Sasuke beat her again!

" Wha?" Naruto asked justifiably stumped.

"Huh?" Sasuke asked.

" You know... for clarification. What would he/she/it prefer to be addressed by?" Hinata asked. She was the Hyūga Heiress and one thing she was taught it was honoring those of power.

" I... I honestly don't know. It has a deep voice so I assumed it was a guy. I don't even know it's name. Apparently Kyūbi is just a title we gave it." Naruto admitted.

"Finally someone respectful. She may call me Kyūbi-Dono." The Kyūbi told him. Naruto just, 'Tsk'

"Well?" Hinata asked with polite assertiveness.

"The Fuzz..." Naruto started, but a burning in his gut made him reconsider.

"The Kyūbi said Kyūbi-Dono works, but don't give it the satisfaction." Naruto stated.

"Kyūbi-Dono it is." Hinata said with a bow.

"Alright. My turn. Why are you so weird?" Naruto asked.

Hinata teared up and Sasuke face palmed.

"Dumbass... We talked about this. Think before you talk to girls. Try using softer words." Sasuke directed.

"Oh... Right. What I meant was why are you… so… Shy? Yeah!" Naruto corrected. It was something he always wondered considering she was literally the best Amazon and even some Warriors of their class.

"Oh... Well that is hard to say... If I had to pick when it started... I would say my third birthday. I was taken from my bed in the middle of the night by the Head Warrior of Kumogakure..." Hirata explained.

Honestly she had told her father, the Hokage, the Commander of the TI Force a MDM Warlock Ibiki Morino, and so many others. Retelling it helped her detach from the fear and shame she felt that day...

"WHAT? You were kidnapped? Who kidnaps a3 year old?" Naruto asked outraged!

"Kumogakure apparently. I kind of remember this. Oto-san referred to it as the Hyūga Affair. It kept us at war for a few more years with Kumo. Apparently Kumo denied it and tried to demand something from us due to the kidnapper being killed." Sasuke reminisced.

"Wow. Alright Hinata that is actually interesting…" Naruto admitted.

"Do you have any abilities granted from the Kyūbi?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, thank you for being so predictably Troll-like. The answer is again I have no idea. It brags about some grand Cosmic Power, but I have yet to try to give in." Naruto shrugged. Sasuke growled in annoyance, "Do you know anything?"

"I know it is a cynical prick. It rants about us being Spawn from a Higher Being that are just corrupt and hateful. All we do is manipulate; especially Uchiha Trolls according to most of his rants." Naruto answered.

"I don't care to talk to it now or ever." Sasuke glared at Naruto with his Sharingan 2.0 activated and spinning.

Sasuke could see Naruto's usual maelstrom of green LF somehow contained in him. Focusing on a distortion centered in Naruto's navel, an ominous visage of a Scarlet Fox head snarled at him; honestly startling Sasuke. Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan and wiped the sweat from his brow. What was the Cosmic Power the Kyūbi spoke of?

"It is getting late. We should rest up for whatever test Kakashi-sensei has prepared." Hinata got up from her chair.

They agreed whatever else needed to be said could be said later. Naruto escorted Hinata to the Hyūga estate, but instead of piggyback, Naruto carried her bridal style. Try as she might to put up some resistance, it was snuff out when she was literally taken off her feet and into his arms.

After hearing how she was almost kidnapped, Naruto felt more protective of his friend. The thought of losing his pink skinned Troll made him feel cold and empty. He subconsciously held her closer to him. Hinata was thankful Naruto was focused on flying and not her reddened face and racing heart.

Hinata hadn't been so close to Naruto before. It was easy to ignore his, surprisingly, powdery body odor when it was overwhelmed by the smell of wet noodles wafting off his breath. His strength was not so easy to ignore. The way it made itself known in his physique; and the security it brought with it. That Goodness to Gracious addictive confidence she so craved.

Their trip ended too soon for Hinata's tastes, but she would treasure it anyway. She did a polite bow of thanks with a warmly coy smile; not that Naruto knew any better. To him, a pretty girl smiled at him instead of orchestrating him. In a way, Hinata liked that about Naruto. Let him be dense, so long as it is to other girls of course.

Hinata walked into her clan estate. Her smile had muted, but it was still present. Not living at the estate was truly a blessing. She still visited for her daily training, but living outside the estate helped her branch out and develop.

"You have feathers in your hair." Hanabi told her big sister with a smirk.

Hinata frantically searched until she freed it of the vermillion feathers. Hanabi was 11 years old the same shade as their father, Hiashi

"Careful, Nē-chan! You and Fishface are getting sloppy. You better not be kissing guys on me!" Hanabi playfully mocked. Hinata frantically denied any such thing.

" Relax, Hinata-Onē-chan. Your secret love affair is safe with me. Oto-san is waiting for me to begin training. I wish you the best in your own with Hisashi-Ojisan." Hanabi formally bid her sister a goodnight with a bow. Hinata gracefully and graciously returned the bow and continued to her dojo.

Located on the Branch side of the estate, which was not too different from the Main. Instead of being servants, most of the Branch family were highly trained Warriors who trained the young and protected the clan overall. Hinata waved at the wandering Branch members, who happily greeted their Fair Heiress. They were Medics, Hunters, and even cooks. The main difference was their variant of the Blessed Bird Seal and the Main branch more able to gain and garner wealth and nobility.

The Blessed Bird Seal was given to each member of both sides of the family on their third birthday. The Main Family were given a variant that enhanced the scope of their Byakugan, but at the cost of temporary or severe parietal vision loss. The Branch were given a variant that enhanced the focus of their Byakugan, but at the cost of developing tunnel vision.

Just as Hinata reached the Dojo it was rocked by fierce tremors and palms of SEM protruding from the warped walls; just another training session with Hizashi and Neji.

"Ah, good to see you, Hinata." Hizashi stopped the duel to bow politely to his niece. Hinata happily returned the bow and did so to Neji as well.

Hinata I returned the bow, but with his usual neutral face. He didn't really care for his cousin one way or another. She was too gentle and soft like the magic she was attuned to. Still, his father appointed him her guardian whenever the two were near each other, so for his sake he would do so with all his power.

"I heard you were specifically chosen to be on Team Seventeen by Kakashi Hate me himself. You will need plenty of rest, so training is postponed. I look forward to hearing about your success." Hizashi replied warmly.

"If she passes…" Neji said under his breathe, but Hinata and Hizashi could read lips so they heard.

Hizashi sent a swift Gentle Fist blow to Neji's leg, bringing him down before he knew what happened. Hinata bid them farewell before they could see the reaction to her cousin's words. Kakashi was a well known Veteran and was notorious for being cutthroat and never passing a team. Hinata just pushed her doubts down and slept on the feeling of Naruto holding her so protectively; dare she say lovingly?

It was a few hours before dawn when there was a loud knock, knock, knocking at Naruto's door, "Wake up, Dumbass!"

Naruto growled throwing his covers off. He stomped to the door in just pajama pants and his frog nightcap ready to punch Sasuke in his stupid Troll face. He threw open the door with an angry rant about needing sleep to maintain his awesomeness, but it does in his throat. In his dazed state, he failed to pick up on the second LF signature next to Sasuke.

When Sasuke arrived at her estate and politely waited for the guards to inform her of him, Hinata didn't expect much. Just a simple pick up of Naruto, stake put the training grounds and maybe lay down some traps. What she didn't expect was to see a shirtless Naruto with, what she knew to be, morning wood front and center.

"Man I swear you and Hinata are gonna end up with like 2-3 kids at this rate. You can't help but to show her your junk at, Dumbass?" Sasuke jested. He found joy in seeing the two teens blush so heavily.

Naruto cursed Sasuke before he rushed back in to get dressed. Magical Silk required LF to maintain and keep it near and tidy. It was highly advised that one take it off before sleeping as the drain could be fatal. Sasuke entered Naruto's home.

"We might as well make a light breakfast before we head to the training ground." Sasuke suggested.

"Didn't Kakashi-Sensei advise us not to eat?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah, but that is why we are eating hours beforehand. By then it would have digested and not be a problem." Sasuke reasoned.

"Fair enough." Hinata conceded.

Hinata pulled out three bento boxes she kept in her magical hip holster. While it had a finite amount of space, Naruto's skill in Seal Magic gave her pack more space than the basic packs. They held three traditional and light breakfasts.

" You really are the Queen of Gluttony." Sasuke sweatdropped.

"You try sparring a thousand times before bed and then ride that high horse on up here with me. Now do you want breakfast or not, Sasuke-san?" Hinata asked, already halfway done with her own box.

"Well excuse me, Hinata. Where is all this fire when the Dumbass is around." Sasuke asked accepting the box with a polite not.

"Hard to can the flames when I have a Fanboy blowing my wind away and hoarding it for himself." Hinata retorted.

"Oh no HO! You're getting better at this. One could find himself actually enjoying your company then. Normally you're, what did Dumbass say? Weird I believe." Sasuke smirked, actually enjoying the limited time he and Hinata had together.

It was rare, but throughout the years the two Trolls would find themselves away from others. They would use that time poking fun at each other's relationship with Naruto. Whether it be Hinata's lack of attention from the blonde or Sasuke's frankly obsessive amount of attention he had from the idiot.

"Only to those who are ignorant of my charm." Hinata stated.

Sasuke was the perfect guy to practice being more assertive with. He was just the right kind of Asshole who could push you to the brink and yet be cool enough to where no real hatred developed; it was all in good fun.

"So, Naruto then." Sasuke responded.

"What about me? Oh! Breakfast made by Hinata-chan AWEEESOME!" Naruto cheered. He grabbed his box and hugged Hinata, much to her embarrassment; in front of Sasuke no less.

After their light breakfast, the team left the Uchiha District and made their way to Training Ground Three. The Third Training Ground had a view of mountains in the landscape and a large and deep river with forests in the both of its sides. There was a glade and in its center there were three stumps lined side by side.

"Looks like we have some time before it's dawn. We gonna set up traps or what?" Naruto asked. Trap making and pranking were basically the same thing; one was just more deadly, well usually.

"Kakashi is a Veteran. I highly doubt traps would work on him, but it is better than just standing here waiting on him like a bunch of idiots." Sasuke shrugged.

Sasuke sat down and began to meditate in order to calm himself. He didn't try to force it or silence his thoughts. After years of training in MLM he long learned that one should never try to control the flow of their thoughts. It was like watching a raging current. One wouldn't try chasing different fish that swam in there. You had to learn to be at peace with your thoughts and the energies they brought.

All forms of magic were tied to emotion. Some tied to good and some tied to bad. Some magic was powerful enough to even completely break one's will and allow you to change them for better or worse. In that case, Sasuke focused on the emotion: anticipation.

Sasuke knew he would be in for a test that would test his skills. Tests of skill were what the Uchiha craved. He needed to keep improving. That emotion fueled and energized his MLM. He was able to spread his purple MLM in certain areas of the grounds. These Circuits held thinly layered waves of MLM that Sasuke powered and spread further.

Naruto was high in the air. His wings flapped mightily to keep him airborne. SWM, much like all SM, required movement. One had to be actively engaging with their element. It was in the sky Naruto felt such freedom and dear he even say friendship. Even Soyokaze found a use in her recovering powdery form. Much like dust in the wind, Naruto and Soyokaze spread their influence over the wind through the emotion: friendship.

The bond Naruto and Soyokaze shared was filled with such joy and fun. Their strong emotions manifested as their strong green winds that blew and seemed to cover the whole grounds in its storm. The more winds they mustered the faster Naruto had to beat his wings.

Hinata first walked onto the river until she stood in its center. With calming breathes, the Hyūga Troll lowered herself into the water until she was fully submerged. Her head was wrapped in a lavender bubble that repelled water away to allow her a small air bubble. It was deep underwater and when she was completely submerged in a watery embrace that she truly felt acceptance.

Hinata felt truly connected with the water. That acceptance allowed her to dilute the water with her MWM. The thinner and more lavender the water got, the easier her control over it got. To add to the surprise factor, once her MWM got complete control over an area it blended back to its natural color.

The sun finally dawned, but Kakashi had yet to arrive. All three of them kept their senses sharp just in case he had arrived and simply hide himself to watch them. They stopped their set up and sat by the three posts to wait. Hinata used her MWM to repel all water off of her and dry herself completely. One minute became thirty and soon a hour turned into several.

It was almost noon before Kakashi finally showed up. He didn't appear in a rush of lightning or even seem winded. He just strolled in with a lazy pace and gave them a lazy wave.

"Sorry team. I got lost trying to think of a excuse as to why I was late. I ended up deciding it was too much work, so I here I am. I hope you're all ready because we're doing a survival test." Kakashi stated. He started digging in his many pockets for something.

"Another survival test? Weren't the Lair Beasts enough? Soyo-ane hasn't even fully recovered yet!" Naruto defended.

"Oh that was just to see if you had a chance to be Fresh Warriors/Amazon's." Kakashi waved off. The teens just sweatdropped since all the ass whooping they suffered amounted to a pity pass.

"I mean you technically lost to the Lair Beasts. They only gave you your Silks because you lasted longer. This is a test you can't fail. Doing so will result in taking remedial courses back at the Academy and having to actually beat the Lair Beasts the next time around." Kakashi explained.

There was a shared reaction of shock and fear between the three teens. The thought of having to go back to the Academy was bad enough, but to be expected to beat the Lair Beasts the next time? That was a terrifying thought.

"It still burns though…" Naruto whispered darkly.

"Eyes in eyes in eyes… So many eyes…" Hinata whimpered.

"I DON'T WANT TO EXPLODE ANYMORE!" Sasuke yelled, having flashbacks to Lancelot.

"Well I guess two of you had better get one of these bells. The other one is going back to the Academy either way. You all have an hour to get a bell." Kakashi explained, pulling out two small bells. He then pulled out an alarm clock and set it for an hour.

That raised the stakes even higher. Each one knowing they had to get a bell, but at the same time they didn't want to send one of their friends back to the hell that was the Lair Beasts. Besides, everyone knew Fresh teams had to have 3 members. 3 was the strongest number in nature after all. They would have to take in some random reserve Fresh Warrior or Amazon and that could mess with their teamwork.

"Oh and before we begin I have to tell you to go all out. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you will never get a bell." Kakashi stated darkly.

Kakashi observed the three of them and saw how instead of breaking away from each other they stood together. They either didn't believe him about the only 2 rule or they didn't care. That meant he would have to improvise his test a bit to really see how they worked together. The trio waited for Kakashi to begin the test, but he seemed more interested in read a book.

Kakashi took his time reading his Icha Icha Paradise. He had read the book enough times to where he could read it in under a minute with MLM, but he took joy in reading it normal. He would carefully turn a page as to not damage the delicate edges of the page. He was to into it he almost forgot he was in the middle of test.

"Oh you can begin." Kakashi told them. He pushed the timer and the test had finally begun.

The trio all leapt away to gain distance. Hinata landed in the water and began to use her MWM to churn and form the water into tendrils. Sasuke leapt into the trees of the forest and raced off to find proper cover. Naruto flapped his wings and flew high into the sky, above even the SWM storm he made to truly hide himself in the green clouds. The wind blew from his wings blew the pages of the Icha Icha Paradise and made Kakashi lose his page. With a deep sigh, he closed his book and put it away.

"You're first." Kakashi said darkly, looking up at where he could still smell Naruto's scent.

Sasuke found the idle vantage point. He studied his potential sensei and scoffed. He couldn't tell if Kakashi purposely left himself open or if he really was just that lazy. It was insulting and that feeling of familiarity kept coming from the eye hide behind his forehead protector. Taking a chance, Sasuke fired off a barrage of LD at Kakashi. The thin purple lightning darts shot out and nailed Kakashi in his extended neck or at least it appeared to. Once the made impact, Kakashi vanished in wisps of darkness; clear signs of an illusion.

Sasuke vacated his spot and continued to shoot darts wherever Kakashi reappeared. Kakashi showed great skill in evading and dodging Sasuke's barrage, but seemed not too keen on the path the Uchiha was directing him.

Kakashi discovered too late when he stepped on a Circuit that paralyzed his leg temporarily. The Veteran was able to rid the numbness from the Circuit, but he wasn't fast enough to evade the LD that struck his chest. Seeing an opening, Hinata lashed her tendrils out and ensnared the Veteran. She swiftly flung him into the air where Naruto SWM storm brewed.

Naruto unleashed his SWM storm on Kakashi via his AIE. Dozens of razor sharp wind shurikens were conjured and then hurled at Kakashi at break neck speeds. Unable to dodge midair, all Kakashi could do was put up a weak defense to shield his face at least. The wind shurikens tore into him much like a rock would in a tornado. In a crash of intense winds, Kakashi limp and bloody body crashed onto the ground only to vanish.

Before either of them could try to track his LF signature, Kakashi appeared high in the sky next to Naruto. In his hand was an empty container and his cheeks were filled with something. Kakashi channeled a spark of green MLM in his finger and held it in front of his mouth. Shooting some pink substance from his mouth, he let it flow through the spark and drastically increasing the speed and volume of the substance: Mystical Water Magic: Chemical Adhesive (MWMCA)

Naruto couldn't react in time and was covered in the pink substance. Not only was it extremely clingy, but it left him paralyzed thanks to the added green sparks of lightning. He crashed into the post below and stuck to it without fail. Trying to struggle only made it worse and it was too thick to cut. Kakashi landed in a thunderclap that disarmed any Circuits Sasuke had left. Hinata had to leave the river, least she be fried by the electricity coursing through it.

Hinata went to try to free Naruto, but Kakashi aimed his hand at her and fired a green electric pulse: Mystical Lightning Magic: Electromagnetic Wave (MLMEW). Hinata managed to evade, but she was forced to back away from Naruto. Not one to be left out, Sasuke rushed in with his Lightning Reflexes (LR) cloaking him in purple MLM. His fists and feet were also bursting with purple lightning.

Sasuke attacked Kakashi with swift strikes that the Vet easily blocked or parried. Seeing as his jabs and punches weren't fast enough, the Uchiha sent his Lightning Strikes (LS) from his arms to his legs, doubling their agility. The Troll was able to kick so fast he could hover in the air for a brief time. Whenever he landed, the Warlock was there to show him the difference between them.

Kakashi didn't even need to channel his green MLM throughout his body; only focusing it into two fingers. He was able to deflect and counter Sasuke blow for blow with just those two fingers! He didn't even seem to be adding MLM to his legs to keep up with the Uchiha!

Hinata watched with her Byakugan actively scanning for an opening. She had lavender Water Needles floating in both hands at the ready, but Kakashi seemed aware of her. He skillfully made sure Sasuke was always in the line of her scope. Her eyes widened when she saw Kakashi focused dangerous amounts of MLM into his two fingers. She tried to warn Sasuke, but it was too late.

"Mystical Lightning Magic: Spinal Devastation. (MLMSD)" Kakashi stated lowly.

Kakashi managed to get behind Sasuke and simply tap his spine with his MLM fingers. The green lightning courses through his spine and literally shutdown all motor functions from Sasuke. The Veteran Warlock grabbed the Uchiha like a sack and got close enough to whisper in his ear, "You're no Itachi." He then tossed him into Naruto. The adhesive soon covered him and trapped him as well.

"And then there was one." Kakashi stated. He walked over to the three posts and added the bells to the adhesive.

"Time is running out, Hinata. Neither of you have a bell, but maybe you can manage to get one. After all, a team is only as good as their weakest link." Kakashi stated.

Hinata didn't have time to be afraid. All she could focus on was her teammates needed her. She was their only hope at passing! The river was still electrified, so she could only work with the moisture around her. Using the WN in one of her hands, Hinata made a trail that let her slide over to Kakashi at break neck speeds.

Kakashi simply shot a green blast of lightning: Mystical Lightning Magic: Lightning Bolt (MLMLB) at the Hyūga. Hinata sidestepped the green bolt and made another trail to slide on. Once in range, Hinata covered her hands in lavender MWM and began her Mystical Water Magic: Gentle Fist (MWMGF) assault.

Kakashi skillfully parried her watery blows by hitting her wrists. He knew that even a tap or drop of water from her palms could effect his LF system in a number of ways. Though her variant of Gentle Fist was unique, some of the effects had been put in her files: bloating, stiffening, and mild control over said effected area to name a few. Hinata's palm strikes were as graceful as the water flowing in her hands.

Each blow sent small droplets around them. The fact Kakashi was able to completely evade the droplets was alarming, but she kept her offense strong. Soon puddles developed and each time her foot splashed one, Hinata's flexibility and maneuverability enhanced. One misstep in a puddle was the only opening Hinata saw and she took it. Kakashi had stepped into a puddle deeper than he thought and slipped for bit a second.

Hinata used all the water she had available to literally swim in midair! With lavender waves carrying her at enhanced speeds, Hinata swam towards the bells with her all! Just when her fingers touched one enough to get a ring out of it, Kakashi sent a pulsing Mystical Lightning Magic: Lightning Barrier (MLMLB).

The green lightning barrier repelled Hinata away from the three posts with a violent push. Naruto would have cried out if the adhesive had not covered his mouth. Hinata picked herself back up despite the trace amounts of lightning that threatened to paralyze her. Kakashi shot MLMLB at the Hyūga who could only use her MWMGF to direct the blast away from her.

Seeing as her MWM was running thin, Hinata started gathering it into her hands and body giving them a lavender glow. Kakashi began to gather multiple sparks of MLM in preparation of a barrage of MLMLB! Hinata knew she wouldn't be able to cover the distance in time, so she began setting up a defense.

Hinata looked at Naruto and Sasuke for confirmation. In their eyes she saw hope and belief. They didn't doubt her? They… Believed and accepted her. That was all she needed. Kakashi fired his MLMLB barrage at Hinata, who stood her ground.

Hinata began to emit a constant stream of MWM from her palms like geysers of lavender Water. She then created large, strong, and flexible arc-shaped water blades by waving her hands around swiftly that spread out across her entire attack range, effectively forming a barricade: Mystical Water Magic: Protective Eight Trigram Sixty Four Palm (MWMPET64P) Kakashi was legitimately surprised when her MWMPET64P was able to force back his LB until they dissipated.

Hinata put down her watery barricade and used it to once again super swim towards the bells for another attempt while Kakashi guard was down. Suddenly, the timer went off and Hinata lost all her momentum. She splashed down on the ground pitifully.

"Well it seems time is up and only Hinata got a bell." Kakashi stated. He walked over and freed a bell from the adhesive, before he tossed it at Hinata.

"You were the closest to even touching a bell. Proving that you at least are strong enough to be a member of my team as I knew you would be." Kakashi explained before Hinata could say anything.

He soon freed Naruto and Sasuke, telling the latter the paralyze will wear off in about 3 hours or so. Before he could even speak, Hinata tossed her bell to Naruto.

"I thank you for your belief in me, Kakashi-Sensei, but I humbly decline. I was of little help to my teammates. I feel Naruto is in more need of being trained seeing as I have my clan to fall back on." Hinata explained. Naruto got a little misty eyes, but hide it behind a smirk. Naruto walked over to the face down and ass up Sasuke and placed the bell in his mouth.

"Thanks Hinata-chan, but Sasuke would be the best student for Kakashi-Sensei. They both have MLM and my SWM is his opposite meaning he would probably struggle to find things to teach me." Naruto pointed out.

"I'm right here ya know. Well, since neither of you are willing to let the other go back to the Academy. I guess I have no choice but to pass you." Kakashi shrugged.

Instead of cheer, all three teens just groaned at once. What was with Konoha putting their Fresh Warriors and Amazons through such cruel and unusual punishment?

"I meant it when I said Hinata is the main reason you all passed. Sure your teamwork was up to code and teamwork was apart of the test, but the saying goes a team is only as strong as their weakest link. Had Hinata had given up or chose to keep the bell for herself, then you all would have failed." Kakashi explained.

Kakashi walked over to the Memorial Stone. He looked at the same names he always looked at everyday. The name of the man that helped him shape his life for the better. All with a simple saying.

"In the Warring World of Winox, those who break the rules are trash, that's true, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash." Kakashi stated. It was a hard lesson he had to learn himself. One he wasn't sure he had truly learned yet.

"Well you all have a week off before our first team meeting. Welcome to the world of the Warrior/Amazon my little Fresh Meats. With the right seasoning I'll turn you into the finest cut of meat in Konoha, so be prepared to look underneath the underneath." Kakashi stated before he left in a shower of sparks.

"Man you were AWESOME Hinata-chan! You were sliding all over and dodging his lasers! Then you came in hands all waving unleashing baddassery unlike I have seen!" Naruto cheered.

Hinata blushed heavily, but remembered to pick up the paralyzed Sasuke and take him with them. Naruto offered to buy her all the cinnamon rolls she could eat at her favorite sweet shop. Hinata wasn't going to say no to that; her Amazonite shined confidently and filled Hinata with more confidence that she thought possible. Their lives in the Academy were finally over and their lives as Warriors/Amazons had finally begun. Of the start was anything to go off of, they had much to learn.

Finally done!! If this isn't my longest chapter it was definitely the hardest and longest to finish. The ideas were there, but I had a lot going on and I was greatly influenced by a review I received from Mokkel. The review said that they loved everything about the story except Hinata's inclusion into Team Seven. That at first made me sad because I happen to love Hinata. What I have and Mokkel might agree is her portrayal in canon. It isn't just her either. Basically every female character in Naruto got treated like shit especially in the end of the series.

To be made into glorified housewives is just insulting. Throughout Hinata's running in canon she has been a damsel in distress. Even the more powerful women are benched in favor of men. I can see why they did this. Naruto was a part of Shoenon Jump, a manga magazine aimed mostly at boys and most guys would agree men are stronger than women. Well this is an AU fan fiction. So instead of my original plan of everyone recovering and the guys showing their skills at adapting and developing. I decided to let the girls shine. Let them be the reason they all pass and start my AU by showing my audience these female characters can and will be flushed out and hopefully we can change your views of them. I personally hated Sakura and Ino, so writing battle scenes where they not only contribute but are the keys to success was not easy. So glad to have this finished. I said I would finish it today and I did. I hope Mokkel reviews. They didn't last chapter so I assumed they were just waiting for this one since the last was mostly filler.


	9. Chapter 9

I don't own Naruto. I am curious how my readers felt about the 3 tests the teams had. I know the series is called Naruto, but we can safely say it was also about friendship and how his friends and bonds made him stronger. I don't know too many fan fictions that had other tests besides the canon Bell Test. What did Teams 8 and 10 have to do to become Genin?

What missions did they go on? What were they trained in? Last chapter was my answer to some of those questions. How I answer the rest may relay on your feedback. Views and reviews are the Life Force your Fiendish Author needs to survive. Feed my need to write!

Naruto the Abomination chapter 9

It was the third day since Naruto became a member of Team 17 and he was laying in bed recovering. What was he recovering from one might ask?

"Why do I even bother with you? I TOLD you, Naruto! Don't fall asleep in your Infernal Silk. You may have LF to burn, but your body burning is a whole other thing!" Soyokaze scolded him.

Naruto just shrugged, or at least tried to without flinching in pain. He was too stoked to really care. He had registered into Konoha's Record of Warriors/Amazons two days prior, but he had to retake his photo the previous day due to the Third not liking his tastes; at least the Old Man let him keep his original photo. Looking at his Warrior ID filled him with such pride. He had finally begun his journey to become the greatest Hokage Konoha ever had!

"I have to admit, we look nice in this photo." Soyokaze reluctantly admitted. She was fully recovered and even came out better for it.

In their photo stood a foxy grinned Naruto holding the jade green scimitar that was Soyokaze, who was even able to project a cloudy form for herself. She held up a simple peace sign with a thinly veiled smile. It was great having his partner back!

Naruto had spent the past two days mostly resting and catching up with friends while they could. It seemed the Veterans of Konoha were all eccentric, scary, or just plain crazy. The stories the gang were able to drudge up on their respective Senseis and the skills they showed spoke volumes of the experiences they must have had. Each of the fought in and survived a literal Warrior World War. War wasn't something his generation were used to thinking about.

Even in the Academy, they were trained mostly as a precaution. Being Fresh meant they were no longer safe. They would be leaving the village and going on all kinds of missions. They would be gaining their own experiences. Naruto was used to sharing some of Soyokaze's experiences through her memories.

Naruto had to carefully apply a salve Hinata had made for him. The Infernal Silk started to leave burns after the second day to the point even the Kyūbi got bored of healing it; so the salve really came in handy. Once he got a good coating on, he bound his torso in protective bindings and put on his Infernal Silk.

Seeing as Soyokaze had grown too large for the alter Naruto made for her before, the blonde Abomination gave her a room to call her own. Their bond was strong enough and Naruto's LF control good enough to where Soyokaze could hold a corporeal form for extended periods; though she couldn't travel too far from her partner. Entering her room, Naruto sat in his special place and began to clean and shine Soyokaze.

It was an act Naruto did every morning to ensure Soyokaze was as sharp and keen as she could be. It was how he learned to find peace and to quiet his mind for a spell. Only thing that matter was seeing his face shine off Soyokaze's jade blade. It was during these times, Soyokaze used to show Naruto her memories of battles gone by. Instead, she chose to see his. Memories she had no doubt experienced with him, but through his eyes made the experience all anew.

A few seemed to stand out to both Soyokaze and Naruto. Memories that almost seemed to slip past them before they knew it and yet chose to stand out to them then and there. Every year, either on the day of or sometime during the week of his birthday, he would get money, a gift, and a card from a man claiming to be his Godfather. The name on the card was always titled 'Gallant'. He even got one around his last birthday.

Letting the memories come and go, Naruto finished his morning ritual and placed Soyokaze in her new sheath strapped horizontally on the back of his belt. He made his way over to Sasuke's to see what he was doing. The Uchiha Troll didn't bother to lock his doors ; if you made it past the district security system you earned entering the Clan Head's home. He walked in to find Sasuke in the living room working on his Advanced Silk.

Sparks flew off the instrument with each swipe and maneuver Sasuke did with it. He would mark a patch on his Silk and a secret compartment would open. The Uchiha would pull out various weapons he had stored in there in order to lighten his load. He took out stocks of kunai, a tanto, a spear, and an ordinary sword.

"Ay, Dumbass. Need any spare tools?" Sasuke asked.

"Nah. I still got my starter set my Godfather gave me when I started the Academy. I never lose em thanks to SWM and Soyo-ane." Naruto waved off.

"You're welcome." Soyokaze chimed in.

Sasuke just shrugged and got back to working on his Advanced Silk. He checked to make sure his roll of metal wire, 3 Kamas, stock of shuriken, and his sets of Fūma Shuriken wouldn't weigh him down too much. Putting his Silk on, he moved and flexed a bit to get a feel for it.

"Eh, good enough. So, Dumbass are you finally got the gunk from your ass?" Sasuke asked just itching to start training again.

"Don't you worry about my ass, Sasugay. How's your spine?" Naruto asked with a smirk. Sasuke growled at the jab.

Kakashi was definitely someone to be weary of. His hidden eye and the fact he seemed to know Itachi meant the Warlock at least earned Sasuke's interest. Though the Spinal Devastation indeed only lasted a few hours, but it still took days to relearn certain functions; MLM truly could be either a blessing or curse.

"Last one to Hinata's sucks rotten tomatoes!" Sasuke challenged before he left his home like a purple bolt. Naruto rushed out the house and flew off swiftly.

Hinata was in her modest room in Kurenai's two bedroom apartment. It was the size of a closet back in the estate, but she loved the intimacy and personality she brought to her space. The walls were yellow with a bright sun motif on the ceiling. She had shelves dedicated to medical research and had recently updated it with all the Intel she could on Abominations; call it her obsession.

Hinata stood in front of the full size mirror on her closet door. Her Suppression Silk was on and really clung to her. To add to her annoyance, the Silk INSISTED on showing her crystal via cleavage; exactly what was it trying to suppress? Her decency?! With a sigh, the pink-skinned Troll took droplets from her Silk and placed them securely in her shoulder length hime-cut styled hair.

Once her hair had a nice lavender sheen to it, Hinata steeled herself for the day of training. She hadn't trained with her team, but training never really stopped for a Hyūga. Her clan hadn't noticed much improvement, given her variant of Gentle Fist, but that didn't stop her from giving it her all. Having to go against so many different SEM Hyūga helped her garden a bit as well.

Hinata felt their presence first, "HA! Tell me how those tomatoes taste loser! I'll be in Hinata-chan's house sitting on my W!" She shook her head and went to go break up the petty race fight the two friends were in. It honestly reminded her of Sakura and Ino before they all left the Academy. She opened her door to see shockwaves clashing with gusts of wind! It all seemed so…

"Are you two done being stupid in front of my house?" Hinata asked darkly.

Both teens stopped their glaring and apologized. Naruto knew that Hinata had a collection of flora on the front lawn they were so carelessly unleashing magic on. He helped her plant it and knew she took flora serious; like naming them and calling them her children. It got even weirder when you learned she would press the fully mature flora of her collection.

"You're all intimidating when flora is involved. Let's see you bring that same hype into training." Sasuke said to save face.

Naruto let Hinata hop on his back and the team all left for the Hot Springs District. It was the public baths of Konoha. Many different spas and shops lined the streets with a river of hot springs cutting it down the middle. One side had baths for women and the other for men. Some said that at the end of the hot springs was the coed baths, but that wasn't proven fact or fiction. There was, however, a private section reserved for Warriors/Amazons of all rank.

Once they were cleared, the team entered a rocky battlefield with the steamy spring waters flowing nearby. It was open so that all elements and types of magic were accessible. All three of them got ready in their own way. Sasuke ran in place to charge himself with purple MLM and activated his Sharingan 1.0 in a steady spin. Hinata gathered the green hot waters with her MWM, tinting it lavender, and had it flow around her like a hula hoop. Naruto flexed his wings and took flight, before he unsheathed Soyokaze.

Without warning, each of them stopped warming up and rushed into the flames of battle! Hinata sent a waving wipe of MWM in a swiping motion to wash them both away in the boiling waters. Naruto flew out of its range and watched from above for the perfect vantage point. Sasuke was able to run and leap out of the way, aiming for the easier grounded target. Hinata countered by sending MWM bubbles soaring at the Uchiha.

Sasuke easily dissolved them with his LD and didn't lose his pace. Seeing his opening, Naruto swung Soyokaze and unleashed her SWM: Arc (SWMA) in the form of a literal arcing distortion in the wind at the Uchiha! Sasuke had no choice but to stop his pursuit and use MLM to gain enough distance to evade. The SWMA tore into field and left its scarring mark in the form of a gash. His reward for saving Hinata was for her to lash out at him with hundreds of MWM droplets from the sky!

Naruto swiftly used his BOE to shield himself in his green swirling orb. Hinata's downpour bombarded down on the blonde Uzumaki's barrier, gradually lowering him and preventing him from flying away or higher up. Seeing he was losing his advantage, Naruto let the downpour take him, before he shimmied and sidestepped the massive flow. Too bad he got clipped by the hot waters that Hinata had control over, leaving said leg burned painfully.

Not one to be outdone, Sasuke took that time to strike with blazing purple LS aimed to take Naruto down. He aimed for the wings, since they were literally connected to his heart, as were all Fae. Any good Fae knew that though and always had protection for their wings such as…

" Suck on my SWM: Spirarekinesis (SWMSK)!" Naruto declared.

Sasuke had to upgrade to Sharingan 1.5 in order to see the yellow feathers of Naruto's wings glow green with SWM in participation for, no doubt, a counterattack. The Uchiha Troll released two Fūma Shuriken from his Advanced Silk, threw one as far as he could away from Naruto and the other he placed in front of him. Using his MLM: Magnetic Force (MLMMF), Sasuke made himself magnetic and was pulled away by the Fūma Shuriken lodged nearby.

All that was done in the span of two seconds. Naruto 's SWMSK unleashed a spiraling blast of green SWM with dozens of his feathers edged by magic firing at Sasuke. His maneuver saved him from some of the fierce winds and razor feathers, but not all. The Uchiha caught a few in his left arm, which had the added effect of screwing up his MLM.

Naruto didn't have time to capitalize on his counter. He was too busy trying to parry or outright evade Hinata and her constant streams of MWM Gentle Fists. Streams of lavender waves clashed with wisp green winds. To gain some distance, Naruto swung Soyokaze and unleashed a thin SWMA at Hinata. Thanks to her Byakugan, the Hyūga Troll could see the thinner SWMA wasn't anywhere near as powerful as before, but it was just as much faster!

Hinata channeled MWM into her spine and bent impossibly to let the SWMA soar past her. Naruto tried to fly away, but found his wings were covered in ever expanding lavender. Both had to dodge the flying Fūma Shurikens Sasuke controlled via MLMMF. Naruto used Soyokaze to keep the shuriken at bay, while sending thin SWMA at the Uchiha in between defending. Hinata danced and bent out of the way thanks to her MWM enhanced flexibility.

Naruto whipped up a BOE to deflect the Fūma Shuriken and then rode it to enhance his agility and rush Sasuke. Hirata saw her opening and took it, sliding on the moist rocks and readying a precise MWM Gentle Fist blow for Naruto. Once in range, Sasuke shot a LD at Hinata Seeing as she was the only one open for attack. Mere moments from impact, lack of them were halted by a sudden tremor caused by the arrival of a tall and tank- like Fae!

The Fae was fair skinned with a wart on the left side of his nose, red lines under his eyes, and long spiky white hair. His Sage Silk consisted of a green short shirt kimono and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armor that was visible at his wrists and ankles. His bronze six dragonfly-like wings were at rest after the swift arrival. He also wore hand guards, a black belt, traditional Japanese wooden sandals, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side, and he wore a horned forehead protector with the kanji for "oil". He stood up fully from the crater he made and looked at each of them.

"Aren't there other training grounds for Fresh Meat to spar in? This is the Hot Springs District!" the Earth Fae yelled!

"Yeah! Some of us are trying to enjoy a good peeping tom show." A literal Red-hot woman said.

The woman had an effect on Soyokaze, who told Naruto she was a higher grade of Sentient Weapon. To not bore him with a bunch of history, Sentient Weapons came in two grades: Fae-Born like Soyokaze and Halosians like the woman before them. Said to be made by Dragons, they could take humanoid forms and operate independent of their wielders; unlike Fat- born who required a wielder to ever gain such a form. Sasuke had to turn off his Sharingan least he be blinded by the overwhelming LF of the Earth Fae; as did Hinata.

The Halosian woman had crimson skin which was covered in seafoam green fire. Her draconian status was without question thanks to the horned visor she wore over the top part of her face. Only thing visible of her face were here glowing green eyes and pink lips. Her deep and thick purple hair was allowed to be free and hung to the small of her back. Her legs were slim and bathed in seafoam green Flames down to her toes. Finishing it was a single tail with three blue orbs on the end.

"Now, I believe I was in the middle of relaxing in the hot springs... I sure hope there are no perverts around..." the Halosian giggled in a way that told team 17 she didn't mean a word she said.

That was made all the more clear when the Halosian began to walk with a for sure sexy sway to the hot spring water left in the area. She dipped her body into the hot water, making sure to shed her flaming clothes to reveal smooth crimson skin just when it made contact with the water. With a moaning sigh the entire area was shrouded in steam.

"What is happening right now?" Sasuke asked.

Sasuke pulled himself from a literal gutter the shockwave of the Earth Fae's arrival. Naruto managed to swim back to the surface for some much needed air, and Hinata landed on the ground gracefully and closed her umbrella made of MWM.

"Can it be?" Hinata asked, before recognition struck her.

Seeing it dawn in the young Hyūga put a smug smirk on his face. The Halosian woman rose from the hot waters and used the steam to cover her decency. With the steam parted and the stage set, the Halosian stepped on the ground and a pedestal rose from the ground via SEM for the Earth Fae to strike a Kabuki pose.

"Yes, my fair Hyūga Heiress. It is the fabled Sage Fae of Mount Myōboku, the Gallant Frog Hermit of the Great Frog Spirits of the East, but you will know me as Jiraiya of the Senshi!" Jiraiya introduced.

The Halosian clapped and cheered for the utter foolishness that was Jiraiya's kabuki pose. To add to it, she made sparkling light come from one hand and festive fireworks come from the other.

"Jiraiya-kun, Jiraiya-kun, Jiraiya-kun! AAAAH! You're so dreamay!!" the Halosian cheered.

"Thank you, Yakeru-hime. You're too kind to me." Jiraiya bowed to his partner, Yakeru. Every great writer and/or entertainer knew to pay due to their fans.

"Who says Gallant anymore?" Sasuke asked in a deadpanned tone. One person came to mind for Naruto.

Jiraiya's response was to channel SEM through his feet, rise a rock pillar from beneath Sasuke, and struck him in the tailbone hard enough to send him falling into the hot waters.

"Haha! Looks like the Pervy Sage can say whatever he wants." Naruto laughed.

Yakeru responded by spitting a spark of seafoam green fire that set Naruto 's backside on fire! He ran and rolled around to no avail, having to rely on Hinata's MWM to put it out.

"You're an Uzumaki alright. Too bad you didn't inherit the red hair though." Yakeru stated. She walked over to Naruto and inspected him.

For some reason, Naruto felt as if he should know Yakeru. Her heat felt oddly familiar and comforting. When Yakeru suddenly hugged the blonde Fae, he put up no resistance, but didn't return it right away. He had to fight himself not to give in; to the point his body shook.

"I told Jiraiya-baka we should have come sooner. Sarutobi-Sensei would eat monkey shit if it were up to me." Yakeru grumbled.

"Now Yakeru- hime. You're confusing the boy. You're also ruining years of mystery and espionage!" Jiraiya defended. Yakeru blew raspberries at her partner.

"I think we have denied this young man a family long enough, Gallant. We may only be his Godparents, but when the boy is literally orphaned at birth; well money isn't enough anymore." Yakeru declared, embracing her godchild with even more warmth and love.

"No seriously guys... What is happening right now?" Sasuke asked again. He had to massage his aching tailbone with MLM.

First the Abomination status and then they learn he is related to one of the Senshi. It wasn't the reveals that were shocking to the Uchiha. It was common knowledge most Abominations were close to their respective Kages for obvious reasons. Thus having the village's Sealmaster be close to an Abomination made perfect sense. What floored the Uchiha was who it involved; how Naruto? How had no one seen it?

"Well what my partner just so happily revealed in broad daylight for all to hear is true. Naruto is indeed the godchild of Jiraiya of the Senshi. I came because Yakeru-chan simply couldn't go on without seeing how her godson had developed." Jiraiya explained with a sigh; looked like their research was over.

"Sarutobi-Sensei promised we could take a more active role in his life once he was officially a Fresh Warrior. I was NOT about to wait until he entered the Seasoned Exams to introduce myself. Speaking of, I am Yakeru of the Nethers, and I was named your Godmother by your mother." Yakeru beamed at her godson.

"Oh!! Kushina-chan would just LOVE to see you now. You must be a lady-killer just like Jiraiya-kun! I had to bury quite a few broads before they got the point." Yakeru giggled, cupping Naruto's face in her hands.

"Alright, Yakeru-chan. We're not just here to say hello to the foxy brat. Sarutobi-Sensei informed us that the Kyūbi has awakened. We need to check the seal and see its status. Afterwards we can do some catch up and report to Sensei." Jiraiya stated.

Naruto was still stunned by the revelation. Jiraiya of the Senshi was easily his second role model after the Fourth Hokage. His silly and yet effective fighting style applied to Naruto. Him being a Sealmaster also made him a person of interest. It was the long absence that bothered him.

"If you don't mind, Senshi- san. My team and I have a meeting to get to..." Naruto said dryly. He didn't give them time to respond.

Naruto politely broke contact with his Godmother, instantly missing her warmth, walked over to Hinata, carried her bridal style, and flew off without another. Jiraiya went to flew after him, but Yakeru stopped him. It was best they leave him be to digest it all.

"Why did I expect anything else?" Sasuke just sighed in defeat.

Jiraiya gave Sasuke a passive glance. From the reports he received, the Uchiha was at least loyal to Naruto. There was no real way of knowing just what the Tsukuyomi he experienced did to him. It was a grade of MDM above anything the Witch/Warlock had yet to counter. Much like its antipode, Amaterasu, was beyond any SFM the Fae had.

"Can I go, or are you going to send me flying again?" Sasuke asked. He didn't have much to lose and he knew he stood no chance against the Toad Sage.

"Depends. Can you put an honorific on my name? One worthy of my prestige." Jiraiya challenged.

Sure it was considered rude, but Sasuke didn't use honorifics for anyone. Even his own brother was just Itachi to him. Plus Naruto rarely used them; opting to use nicknames instead.

"Is Champion Toad Hermit acceptable?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"Surely you can do better?" Jiraiya asked with a vein bulging from his brow.

"Ultimate Toad Sage." Sasuke suggested. Jiraiya's growl was all the answer he got.

"OK. How's about Mega Sage?" Sasuke asked.

"You're mocking me…" Jiraiya growled with his eyes glowing orange and ground trembling in wake of his rage.

"Super Sage Jiraiya." Sasuke gave it a final shot. Jiraiya deflated at that one.

"OK, Jiraiya-kun. You have to admit that SS Jiraiya has a nice ring to it." Yakeru admitted.

"SSJ does sound Sexy... You may call me Super Sage." Jiraiya decided.

"Sure thing, Super Sage." Sasuke said sarcastically.

"You know, I know you're being sarcastic, but you're saying it so who cares? You're alright, Uchiha." Jiraiya stated. He tossed a scroll to Sasuke, who easily caught it.

Without another word, Yakeru transformed into both a large Scroll and a calligraphy brush Jiraiya lovingly held. With her scroll firmly wrapped and secured around his waist, they buzzed off to parts unknown. Thoroughly done with the ordeal, Sasuke checked the scroll to see it was a MLM charm called Friction…

Meanwhile, Naruto idly fiddled with his 3rd bowl of Miso Ramen at Ichiraku Ramen. Despite her attempts during their trip, Hinata couldn't coax anything out of him. She was a bit bold and gave him a hug though. The blonde Abomination just felt so lost.

Who could he turn to? To help him fill his silent place with laughter? Who could he run to for love when it had been so fleeting not too long ago? How could he trust his Godparents when it seemed they only came because of the Kyūbi.

"What can I say? My power is the grandest of commodities." The Kyūbi made itself known.

"And here's this Asshat." Naruto groaned mentally.

"Face the facts, Spawn Brat! My power is the maximum of LF. No one can make it because it is linked to the Cosmos itself. It is far beyond any Spawn's self-centered comprehension." The Kyūbi declared. Naruto just about HAD it with the arrogant Fox!

"Full off of three bowls? And here I thought I could treat the new Fresh Warrior to a meal." Iruka said, sitting in the barstool next to Naruto.

Naruto had instinctually finished his bowl while focusing on the ranting Fox. The blonde Fae chuckled at the welcome distraction. Iruka-Sensei just had a way of finding him even if he didn't want him to.

"I could never turn down an offering to Ramen Kami. May the noodles forever be perfectly firm and the broth everlasting." Naruto prayed to silence the Kyūbi; who said meditation was useless? With just the simple 'Ramen Kami' phrase, he was able to tune it out.

"Yeah, yeah my wallet should suffice." Iruka said with an eye roll.

Naruto ordered four more bowls and one for Iruka and began his own one-sided challenge at beating Iruka in an eating contest. Iruka just let the Fae boy indulge. He didn't know the specifics, but he knew there was a lot on his former student's mind.

After they ate their meal, Naruto won of course, they just sat there. At first it wasn't bad; just both trying to find something to say. Iruka felt he had taught Naruto all he could. He wasn't a loudmouth Academy student anymore. What kind of Warrior he became was up to Naruto now.

"Iruka-Sensei… You knew about the… Kyūbi thing right?" Naruto asked. That brought an air of dreadful seriousness.

"It would be hard not to. I was a boy when it… Appeared with a vengeance… I knew you were its vessel, or at least that was the thought at first." Iruka admitted. He owed it to Naruto to be honest and to treat him like a fellow Warrior and not some stupid kid; he wouldn't stop being one until he was shown better options.

"What do you mean vessel?" Naruto asked.

"For the first nine years or so, it was generally believed you were either the Kyūbi's child incarnate or a Fae child cursed to be its vessel and one day become a Berserk Abomination." Iruka explained.

"You know, he isn't wrong on the last part." The Kyūbi quipped, before fading into the back of Naruto's mind.

"What changed that?" Naruto asked with a tinge of fear in his heart.

"The Warriors and Amazon clans of Konoha. When you started befriending their children and stopped doing so many stupid pranks, the leaders stepped forward and defended you. By the time you were 12 we were all aware of who you were and most just ignore you to keep from remembering that day." Iruka explained.

Upon hearing that, Naruto felt bad about some of the pranks he pulled on the various clans; granted it was before he started hanging, but still. If anything it painted the isolation in a different light. Didn't take away how it made him feel back when he was growing up, but it helped.

"When I look at you. I see myself at time. I see a boy who had his parents taken away from him by the Kyūbi and had to deal with being alone and ignored." Iruka said. He dug into his pouch and pulled out a scroll.

"More than that though. I see a future worth investing in when I see you. This scroll contains instructs for the Corporeal Clone; don't say I never did anything for you." Iruka explained, patting the shell shocked Naruto.

With his job done, Iruka flew away to leave Naruto to dry his tears and flee least Ayame see him; too bad she did anyway. Naruto flew to the training grounds to begin learning all he could about the Corporeal Clone charm. He would learn it in two hours or less!!

Alright and done. So I honestly wanted to include the Jiraiya reveal last chapter, but it was already so long. I am going to take a moment to rant here. There are several characters in Naruto who are gravely underdeveloped and just cast to the side in favor of Team Seven.

Just look at their futures. Sakura is a Doctor, but mostly a single parent. Hinata is a Housewife. Tenten just runs a weapon shop and even SHE looks bored. Temari a diplomatic housewife. Choji is the current Akimichi head… I think? Shikamaru gets to be an Advisor so he is one of the few lucky ones. Is that lucky though? For him… Yeah. Sasuke gets to roam the world like a God Damn Badass Nomad. Naruto realized his dream.

What about Rock Lee? Who is the Mom of Metal Lee? Why cripple Guy? I would have preferred he died. He can't fight should/when shit hits the fan. He will just have to watch his friends die and pray for death to rid him of that shame. I don't want you to think this is all about the women. The Narutoverse is too vast to focus solely on Team Seven. With that in mind, I am thinking of having a 3 Way narrative. One in where I tie all 3 teams' adventures into a single chapter or at least give each team their on chapters and arcs. Leave a review telling me what you think. The previous chapter was my first test.


	10. Chapter 10

I don't own Naruto. You all are starving me of feedback! Good or bad will do.

"Good morning, Konoha! It is your Beautiful Green Human, Rock Lee! Time to begin my race to the edge of village in 10 minutes without fail! I will not prepare for failure with words like cannot!" Rock Lee pumped himself up.

Standing atop a steep cliff used for training strength and discipline was none other than one of the minority of Konoha: Rock Lee the Human. Humans, while limited as Warriors/Amazons, made up a decent part of Konoha and the Warring World of Winox. Either due to an ability to attune to or a simple refusal to use SM/MM back during and following the times of the Great LF Pilgrimage, all humans are unable to use any type of magic the other races can. What they lack in elemental magic, spiritual magic, Troll technology, and hosting Fiends they made up for in pure LF to augment their bodies to superhuman levels and beyond.

Rock Lee wore a human variant of Warrior Silk called Vigor Silk, which he styled into a green jumpsuit with a Konoha high collar flak Jacket over it. Around his arms and legs were special orange training clothe called zest silk; meant to add weight to them when LF is applied.

"Now I shall show humans can be great Warriors even without mediums for magic!" Lee declared!

Just gathering his mantis green LF pumped Lee's physique up with its ethereal energy! His body didn't bulk up, instead it toned it to peak levels! In an explosive dash, Lee ran down the cliff and landed with an equal explosion of raw power! Shooting out like a rocket, the human Fresh Warrior raced to cover the vast distance in the timeframe set!

Lee was a green blur to the average villagers. Racing a top rooftops, street lights, shop signs, and the like. Typical Warrior traffic made swift by his will do attitude and trained to the bone body! Suddenly, a trio of buzzing wings, indigo lightning, and fleeing coral and crimson beasts dashed past Lee at alarming speeds!

Lee pumped more LF into his legs and took off in a new burst of speed! When he caught up to the trio, he was happily surprised to see team eighteen apparently doing some early morning training. Wanting to congratulate such a vigorous and youthful endeavor, the energetic human raced next to Ino.

"Good morning, Ino-kōhai! It is good to see such vigor so early from a Rookie Fresh team!" Lee greeted with a 'nice guy' wave.

"Out of the way! Out of the way, Lee! Can't you see Anko-Sensei's on our butts?!" Ino yelled in terror!

Ino hadn't known a good morning since she managed to pull a win literally from the stomach of a giant snake! Every morning at dawn Anko-Sensei found new ways to torture them. What else do you call being poisoned and made to track the antidote? Though if that bored her, Anko would go to her default: riding one of her giant, hungrily hissing, snakes while it chased you like the pray you were.

Villagers wisely took shelter and let the rampaging and cackling Anko torture her team; the results spoke for themselves. The fact they keep on surviving is a sign of growth and strength through pain; clear goodness so much pain. Lee even decided to focus on his task and left team eighteen to their fates.

Anko chased her team all the way to the TI Department; her green snake chomping at their heels the whole way. Teens shouldn't be treated that way! Anko agreed, but that was the world they lived in so she would indulge full heartedly. The team panic ran/flew down through the halls and into the safety zones set for them.

Ino sat in her assigned chair with a crazed laugh of relief. Shino sat in his assigned chair and adjusted his glasses before they fell off. Akamaru landed in Kiba's seat before he could, he sent his host a silent prayer. Kiba could only look in horror when he slammed into the barrier around his chair.

Kiba's body was pressed against the barrier. He looked at Akamaru in sheer terror before the giant snake slammed into and coiled around him; silencing the screams the bone crushing squeeze rocked from him.

"Now, Anko-chan what have I told you about coming in too hot? You gotta be more gentle…" Hanafuda stated.

Hanafuda Yamanaka had small traces of blood on her heart shaped face, framed with a cute pixie styled short amber colored haircut. She wore Advanced Silk stylized into a dark indigo shozoko with silver chest, shoulders, and arm guards; a red scarf-like Leaf hand band tied across to keep the chest secure. Anko hopped off her snake and sent it back to the Portal Realm from whence Summons dwell. Kiba flopped to the ground and the barriers went down.

"It was either you or me and I told you Ino was the better Pursuit." Akamaru communed to Kiba, who just growled at thinking Shino was faster than Ino due to him being, well a male.

Anko-Sensei LOVED teaching him the past three weeks or so the Power of Amazons; pits of the Netherverse were more bearable. Hanafuda and Anko greeted each other like they always did; they glomp each other, jump up and down, and kissed three times.

"I can't help it, Hanafuda-chan! I just get so excited on my way to work… Tell me we have clients today." Anko almost begged.

One thing the Fresh Team Eighteen learned rather fast was that the mission pool for Fresh Teams was limited to mostly F rank. F rank amounted to internships. Each week they got to shadow Warriors/Amazons of various fields until they found one they liked. Being a Hunter team meant their internship would be at the TI Department; so it was basically DOUBLE training! The Head of the Department left the poor bastards to the mercy of Anko and Hanafuda.

"Sure do! This one has some kind of Fiend controlling him; I know how you like to cut things open. Just make sure to sedate him; I want his mind fresh and unburdened by scarring pain." Hanafuda replied, much to the glee of Anko.

"Why is she getting so excited?" Ino asked herself mentally.

Anko was literally clapping and squealing for Kami sake! Walking down the halls of the TI Department used to fill even Shino will dreadful shivers. The screams of agony, the stench of burnt flesh, musk of ashes, deadly sulfur, sludgy muck, frizzling sparks, and awfulness just had a lasting effect on you. They had been there enough to at least not cry; though their guards were up. Entering a simple room was a humanoid strapped to a table.

"Orge Fiend…" Shino hissed in disgust.

Despite the fall of the Kaguya clan, 2 variants of Fiends managed to survive and find new hosts to be reborn: Aburame with their Symbiotic Fiend and the Nomadic Orge Fiends. Orge Fiends could go from Host to Host drawing strength from them, but also being subtly influenced by each Host they drain. The madness induced from so many conflicting influences is pasted on to each new Host; without the will to stop it. The Orge Fiend (OF) Host thrashed about with gusts of wind screeching from his lungs!

"Oooo. Orge Fiends put up a nice fight. Shino, you know what to do." Anko instructed.

Shino flexed his arms and released a cloud of his FI. With their command given, the first wave flew above Anko and allowed her to literally set them ablaze in a fiery death. Their corpses were then devoured by the second wave and gave them an orange glow. The wailing OF Host unleashed a raging storm inside the barren room, but the team anchored themselves in place. Shino's augmented FI soared through the storm towards their target.

Along the way some of the wave were swept away in the fierce winds, but the rest were not deterred. Once they landed, they immediately burrowed into its skin and began to drain the LF from its veins. The replenishing LF helped them multiple and spread further, that was until the OF came to defend its Host. Devouring the smaller Fiends and then gaining their Multiplier, it began to split and gain helpers to help it fight back.

Shino added two more waves of FI to even out the odds, completely wrapping the OF Host in a cocoon of FI. The initial contact had weakened the Host enough to calm the storms and its wails. The OF stood no chance try as it might. The FI drained it dry and then purged its spawn from the Host. Shino placed the spawn inside a containment unit for study.

"I left the Queen Orge Fiend inside for dissection. My Fiend Insects made sure she was left barren to avoid reproduction." Shino informed Anko.

The FI left the Barren Host all at once and return to their own Host in a mad buzzing of wings and dozens of flying circles around him before everything was still. Ino subconsciously suppressed the urge to vibrate her body to act as a living bug zapper; creepy as they maybe they were a part of Shino and thus a part of the team. Anko made her way to the table and pulled out a simple kunai.

Making sure to sterilize it, Anko showed great skill by surgically cutting the host's shoulder where the Barren Orge Queen cowered. It was the size of a roach and many times more ugly.

With a disappointed sigh, the purple-haired Witch vaporized it with a blast of lightning. The Host, whose skin was pitch white with black outlines where bones would be, reverted back to her human state. Humans weren't supposed to be able to do SWM especially; nor were OF from her knowledge. Even Shino was perplexed. Was that really SWM?

Anko tested her MLM and saw it was effected. Her lightning had weakened much like it would inside a SWM storm; granted the SWM was weaker. Hanafuda went to work by cloaking her finger in smoky gray MDM, drew a symbol into the unconscious human woman's forehead, and literally pulled a memory from her brain!

MDM: Recall worked by using MDM to literally enter a subjects mind and look for specific memories up to their clearest state. Hanafuda was skilled enough to do so within seconds, though it required her to literally place the memory in her mouth via sucking her finger. Ok, admittedly she liked the way memories tasted.

Hanafuda's eyes went pitch black entirely. Seeing the memories of the woman just a few weeks ago. The freshest memory she had before everything went black. The human woman was out at one of Konoha's local forests. She had been given a letter to meet her boyfriend there, which was odd but romantic enough to see.

When the woman heard her Wind Fae boyfriend's voice she smiled and longed to embrace him. Suddenly, her spine was served by a slinking gust of grass green SWM! She fell lifeless to the ground, desperately looking for help and answers…

"A thousand changes, ten thousand transformations. Infinity variety can only truly be obtained from a blank slate… Humans don't even know their worth." A maroon colored hooded cloaked figure stated.

In their hand was a bronze scale with thinly veiled grass green SWM wafting off it. The woman could not see their face from beyond the shadow of the maroon hood, but she saw the glint from glasses in the light. The Maroon Hood cleaned off his scale with a fine clothe…

Hanafuda's eyes rolled back to normal. The memory was rather vague, but you don't ambush someone for no reason. The eerie way the Maroon Hood talked about transformation and suddenly she got infected with an OF were too glaring to ignore.

"Grass Green winds and a brown scaled SW… Well that is all we will get out of her for now. After some rest I can try to recall more; she was just purged." Hanafuda suggested.

Anko gestured and a team of Medics came to take the human woman to the medic bay for treatment. Hanafuda wrote down the key details of the memory and passed it to Anko. The Sensei of Team Eighteen gave Shino the containment unit to take to his Clan Research Facility for further study.

"Alright, Ino and Kiba. You two are to go to the Archive and find out all you can about grass green SWM users and any SWM Fae who uses bronze scales or colored weapons." Anko instructed.

Ino and Kiba, along with Akamaru, saluted their superior and raced off to the Archive Library located inside the Hokage Momentum Mountain. Anything to get away from Anko, Hanafuda, and the TI. It became the Fresh Meat Gather Spot once everyone started their F ranks assignments. With being Fresh Warriors/Amazons came the vast vaults and shelves of knowledge of both past and present.

On the other side of the Hokage Mountain was a door so subtle one would miss it if they didn't know it was there. No sign or even any railings to give way there was a door. Built into the formation, one had to use LF to walk on the steep surface and present their IDs to its foundation. A door was revealed and let them inside the vast library.

"What smells like dirt and pig… Oh just Kiba and Ino." Sakura noted before going back to researching her medical books.

Much like Team Eighteen, Team Twenty also had various internships. While Shikamaru interned at the Cryptology Department, Sakura and Choji chose Medical Department. Choji had a three chamber capsule with three multi colored ball shaped pills in them and stacks of books on calories and fat burning.

"No need to announce yourself, Sakura. Your problem square forehead showed me your presence." Ino shot back.

Sakura just smirked and glared beams of fire at Ino, who fired back with streaks of lightning. In an instant, they broke contact with smug grins. It filled them with prideful anticipation to know the person they chose as a rival was on the path to strength and greatness.

The brief greeting was done and everyone went about their business. The Warrior/Amazon life was not always high speed action that shook the foundations of reality. Sometimes you had to sit down and research what you were doing.

You had to find clues on targets. Look up leads, etc. The great Warrior/Amazon always checked a fact and sometimes just followed intuition to make sure a spell or charm would do what it was supposed to do. Unlike the Konoha Library, which did have a lot of resources for up and coming Warriors/Amazons, the Konoha Archive had knowledge of all the Warriors/Amazons of Konoha to date. A great place to start on a search for a Green Grass SWM using Fae with a bronze SW; that might be a scale.

Easier said than done of course. Even with everyone having unique colors to their magic and LF, green was a common color for SWM. Their best bet would be the SW, but Ino found quite a few bronze colored SW. In fact, bronze was a popular color for SW. Ino was able to use MLM to speed read through the scrolls and other tomes of information.

Kiba didn't bother looking for clues. He knew Ino was smarter and faster at finding information than he ever could. That didn't stop him from browsing around with Akamaru on head.

"We might as well look at the latest Bingo Book. It might be sometime before we face any of them, but it is best to be informed ahead of time." Akamaru communed to his host.

Kiba agreed and went to the Hunter section where the Bingo Book was sealed into two scrolls. Unraveling them one overlaying the other in a cross, Kiba placed his hands in hand outlines on the side and applied LF into them. In the center scroll, a sealing matrix spiraled and from its depths popped out the latest Bingo Book. It had a timer on it telling you how long before it was sent back inside the seal.

Upon looking at the entries, Kiba saw that older entries were X out showing they were either caught or dead already. Entries such as: Jūzō Biwa, former member of the Seven Deadly Swordsmen of the Mist. Such an infamous organization was taught in year One and Three of the Academy. A group of the best swordsmen Kirigakure could muster in each generation.

Another history lesson that was taught was Kirigakure's, and the Witch/Warlock equal to Sentient Weapons, Corporeal Weapons (CW). CW were literal consciousness, basically minds/brains, given form via Mystical Magic. They lacked the souls of SW, but made up for it with high intelligence and abilities that best suit their Users; given the CW and User were compatible. The CW came in three ranks: Low, Medium, and High Tier. Each rank had 4 grades: A, B, C, and D with A the best and D the worst.

Jūzō's CW was the Kubikiribōchō, or the Decapitating Carving Knife. The Kubikiribōchō was a High D Tier CW with the Core Skill was Composite. A skill that gave it regenerative properties by using the iron in the blood of its victims. The thought made Kiba shiver.

"Honestly, Naruto-kun. You know your new Solar Wind Magic: Windgate can be a rather… Chaotic spell. You literally have a whole dojo in your upstairs apartment dedicated to these experiments." Hinata groaned.

"Come on, Hinata-chan! You know F ranks take up a huge amount of our day. Between my Portal Department F rank missions, Kakashi-Sensei's damn near wartime training, and of course personal solo training these small breaks are all I have to see the gang." Naruto defended.

Team Seventeen all chose different F Rank Mission Types to better focus on their endeavors. Since Naruto lacked the MLM to perform Hyper Speed, he inspired to do the next best thing in his field: Void Magic/Portal Magic. Konohagakure made grand use of the higher variant of SWM with their Portal Department. They literally wrapped a Portal Barrier around the entire Village. Naruto was still low on the chain, so he never got to see the Barrier's Core; he more so maintained its exterior.

Portal Magic worked much like the namesake. It used SWM to literally rip open portals in space/time.

Void Magic, the darker variant, didn't rip open portals. It actually spirals into itself at such a rate it turns into a black hole that can crush all it contains. These higher variants, while obtainable, are extremely violate if performed even remotely incorrectly.

Skilled PM users could commercialize their PM for others to use for containing equipment, etc. Something Naruto needed to master if he wanted to keep up on rent. Becoming a Fresh Warrior meant he was cut off, so bills had to be paid by more than his F ranks. With Naruto's vast LF Reserves it would be good money to sell long-lasting portal spells.

"That is why you should take a break by NOT testing out the Windgate in the Archive. Why don't we just do some light research for once?" Hinata suggested.

The Hyūga Heiress went into the Medic Department along with Ino and Sakura. Her Byakugan made medical work far more efficient and helped her learn to focus the scope of her Byakugan. It also helped her steady her shaky hands; though quite a few fish died horribly for her to get there.

"Buuut Hinnnata-chaaan! Research is soo boooring! I could easily just experiment a spell over and over until I get it right. There are enough variants of LF ratio to where I will eventually figure it out." Naruto tried to convince her, but she would not budge.

"Naruto-kun. Not everything has to be action and explosions. Sometimes you have to sit down and do the boring stuff. Now I have to do research for the Hospital. You can either go home and train or stay and do research with your friends; your choice." Hinata pointed out flat out.

To those who knew the younger Hinata, their jaws would be on the ground with the utmost slack. To give credit to her old habits, she couldn't help but blush and rush off to get her research material. Some habits just did not die. Still, the difference between that Hinata and the current came down to the bonds she had with her classmates. She was not isolated from there nor was she too shy to be around them. Not to mention she had been around Naruto for literally 8 or so years of their life.

Eight years of his bright spirits. Eight years of his encouragement. Eight years of his constant pushing of her limits. Simply put, you don't spend all that time around Naruto without some of his traits spilling over into you. While still polite, Hinata was more confident in her mind and in her critical thinking.

To that ultimatum, Naruto just sighed and walked over to the SWM section. Soyokaze just snickered and literally broke the sound barrier around Naruto to produce a whiplash sound effect for his friends to chuckle at. After the laugh at his expense, the former classmates got to work with their research.

It was peaceful. Sakura, Choji and Hinata would collaborate their different ideas and theories based on their own separate research. Ino struggled to find any real leads from the mountain alone, but Shikamaru's assistance at least quickened the paced. Naruto and Kiba ended up going through the Iwagakure Bingo Book entries. Naruto just couldn't seem to sit and focus on the research for too long. Sure he studied at least the basics, but after that he preferred practical learning.

"Damn! Check out the Yondaime's Bingo Book entry!" Naruto marveled.

It was odd. The Yondaime's face was blank and all descriptions of him were also blank. Only information available was his moniker of the Yellow Flash, him being a Warlock, and his Flee on Sight (FOS) order along with a S rank. It was X out though, so perhaps that was why they didn't bother with a face. Just knowing he was dead was probably enough for them considering all he did to them.

"Damn… Flee on Sight order. To tell a Warrior, sworn to fight to the death no matter the foe, to flee if they even see another Warrior just goes to show how powerful he had to be." Kiba commented with Akamaru barking his agreement.

"Yeah. They say his Hyper Speed was Beyond anything anyone had seen. Some even dubbed it Light Speed with how instantly he could disappear and reappear. Not even other Hyper Speed users could hope to catch him." Naruto almost drooled.

Shaking off their man crush, the two former classmates continued to look through other village Bingo Books. It was not uncommon for the Hidden Villages to steal each others Bingo Books to try to either collect on the bounty or collect information on foreign Warriors/Amazons.

They got to Kirigakure and saw that it seemed to have the largest roster of Rogue Warriors or just Warriors who were wanted for crimes against them. There were the Demon Brothers, Meizu and Gozu; both Seasoned Warriors. There was a strange entry named Utakata. While he had no rank, he was said to have a Variant of MWM that let him manipulate Highly Acidic Bubbles?

"Man they had it right when they called Kirigakure the Bloody Mist Village. I mean between Tormentors like Raiga Kurosuki and Demons like Zabuza Momochi there were bloody tides indeed." Kiba stated.

Raiga Kurosuki was a Black Op Warrior who CW was known as Kiba, a High A tier CW. It was a pair of swords, each with slim and straight double-edged blades. Both blades also had an upward-curved bladed prong near the tip of one side of the blade and another one near the base of the blade's other side. At their bases are smooth brown hilts with a round grey hilt.

Zabuza Momochi was a Veteran Warrior who claimed the Kubikiribōchō when Jūzō was killed. He was also a MWM Warlock with the darkest gray skin. What was with wielders of Kubikiribōchō going Rogue? While Kiba and Naruto looked through the Bingo Books, Ino was making little progress in her search.

Just when Ino called a break to give her and Shikamaru some time to breath and think, twin snakes coiled around her and Kiba's legs and injected them with toxins via vicious bites!

"Dammit, Anko-Sensei!" Ino swiftly caught the fleeing snake before it could get away and paralyzed it with MLM.

Akamaru was able to stomp on the head of the other snake, killing it, and finally bit its head off. The Lycan Pup's nose flared with crimson PE and he caught the scent of the snakes' den.

"Well Shika, Choji, Hinata, and Naruto. Training takes precedence when its life or death!" Ino bid farewell before she took off in a blast of lightning!

Kiba was right behind her in Wild Pursuit! Akamaru lead the way towards where he picked up the snake den scent. It lead away from the populace and towards the training grounds. Ino begged mentally for it not to be training ground forty-four. They had to grit through the searing pain that coursed through them. It was a toxin that attacked the organs responsible for gathering LF and turned your own magic against you.

Ino's veins were visibly pulsing and bugling a nasty yellow. Kiba's ailment made his veins bright green. With each training ground they passed her fears grew more and more, until they were confirmed.

Akamaru stopped just outside the large 44 gated area. He knew the scent was coming from there, but they all had to prepare themselves. "Fucking Forest of Death…" Shino landed next to them resting his beating wings. His own veins were brown telling his teammates all they needed to know.

Anko's brand of poison was made all the more lethal with her skill in Mystical Water Magic. Once injected, she could control it in a variety of ways: from making it corrosive, to causing clots, and also making your LF chaotic to cause you pain. Since it could attack your LF, it could also effect an Aburame's Fiend Insects.

"Why is this allowed? How is this training?" Ino asked through gritted teeth.

Ino expanded her vision, via MLM: Scan, throughout the training ground. Her eyes sparkled indigo blue and saw the Frequencies of the living life forms as blurry images, but their sizes and sheer number made her shiver.

"Well, Anko-Sensei calls it survival training. We are learning how to survive harsh conditions so… Why wouldn't it be?" Kiba pointed out.

"Shut up, Kiba." Ino completely ignored the rather factual response from the otherwise Wild boy of their team.

Team Eighteen opened gate 24 and rushed inside searching for their snake of a sensei. Shino had a few of his FI commune with wild insects of the forest; advising them to stay away. Some listened while others did not. A few Ōmukade, giant man-eating centipedes, ignored the message and went for the kill!

Ino gathered her MLM, made a triangle with her hands to aim, and fired twin MLM: Disruption at two Ōmukade. The creatures were stunned by jolts of indigo lightning long enough for a coral orange, Physical Energy Aura (PEA), cloaked Kiba to crush their heads with two superpower blows.

Akamaru was also cloaked in crimson PEA floating around the Ōmukades like a bird, hacking and crunching at their hides. Shino unleashed swarms of his FI that began to devour and assimilate the remaining Ōmukade. The team were swift to vacate the area before the noise attracted the many bears, tigers, and other manner of beats.

The toxins made each spell/charm torture to use, but being Fae and Witches meant spells/charms were their lives. It was like breathing to them. So if they were being drowned then they need to get to Anko to get that gasp of air. To make matters worse, a gigantic snake lunged from above!

Ino used her MLM: Pyramid to project an indigo lightning pyramid of protection, though it was extremely cramped. The MLMP protected her causing her to bounce away from the open maw of the snake. Kiba switched his WP from Ino to Akamaru, giving him the boost needed to barely avoid being devoured; though he was nicked by its fangs. Shino was not so lucky. The gigantic snake found a meal in the Aburame.

"YEAH SUCKS DOESN'T IT!" Ino couldn't help it.

Ever since their first test Ino had been the only one to be eaten by one of Anko's snakes. She couldn't help her vicious smile at her teammates fate. Still, she would never leave a teammate behind; agony be damned! She aimed her MLM: Laser and fired a beam of indigo lightning at the snake, but its leathery hide gave it some resistance. Seeing another meal, the snake slithered towards Ino.

Ino projected another cramped MLMP that protected her from being engulfed, but not from being flung into a thick tree. Her MLMP shattered and the snaked lunged to devour her, but a coral orange Physical Energy Claw (PEC) and crimson PEC slammed down on its maw to close it shut! Kiba conjured another coral orange PEC and struggled with the flailing snake to force its mouth open. Ino rushed behind the snake, evading its flailing tail, and using her MLMS to track the tail. When she saw her opening, she supercharged her body with MLM, and grabbed ahold of its tail! She pulled it towards a tree allowing Akamaru to use his crimson PEC to literally squeeze Shino out of it a fluidly was on the forest grass.

Shino used his limited SWM, granted by his Tempest Silk, to blow off as much of the gunk as it could. With their teammate freed, Akamaru picked back up on Anko's scent and they raced after her. They glided through the trees since Shino's wings were still too wet to fly. It also eliminated a lot of the ground based threats. Feeling anxious due to the toxins, Shino didn't give any insects a choice in leaving. Any they came across were devoured and assimilated to avoid trouble.

When they finally found Anko, she was in a clearing. She was calmly sitting in the center of a ceremonial mat set for tea ceremonies. They wisely landed outside the clearing. Ino's MLMS saw that there were tigers nearby, but they wisely didn't cross over the thinly lined MWM barrier around Anko. Coiled around her like a snake, only those she wanted to could enter.

Anko took tea ceremonies extremely serious. She dressed the part with traditional attire for such an occasion. She sent the "invitations" to them. She had prepared all one would need for a tea ceremony. Made sure the tools were cleaned and had spent the remaining time preparing her LF to be cleansed if only for a moment. Team Eighteen knew to bow in respect.

Anko presented the prepared 'antidote' tea bowl to the team lead in her steed, Shino. Shino inspected the bowl, admiring how Anko found a way to poison an Aburame's FI, and then rotated it. He then took a drink and felt relief when his body reverted to normal. He wiped the rim of the bowl and passed it to Ino. Ino chose to admire the tea bowl, rotated it, and then drunk the antidote and feeling refreshed. She wiped the rim and passed it to Kiba.

Kiba chose to admire the training he was receiving, rotated the tea bowl, and drank the antidote with much relief. Kiba gave the bowl back to their host of a sensei. Anko used her MWM to clean all utensils involved in the ceremony and presented them for her guests to inspect.

Team Eighteen took a piece of our their Warrior/Amazon clothes to inspect the utensils with the utmost care and respect. Shino, Ino, and Kiba inspected the tools and saw they were clean. Anko took the utensils back and bowed to her guests. Team Eighteen bowed in respect and ended the ceremony. With that done, Anko removed the ceremonial attire and reverted back to her usual attire.

"Alright Team, anything to report?" Anko asked.

"Anko-sensei! I was not able to find out much on the bronze colored SW or the grass green SWM Fae. You'd be surprised how common that is." Ino reported.

Anko stored that away for later. She knew Kiba was useless when it came to information gathering beyond scents and his communion with Akamaru, so she looked to Shino for his report on the OF.

"Anko-Sensei. I was not able to find out much in the timeframe given. What I was able to find out is it originated from Kusa no Kuni (Land of Grass). I was able to discover this through its unique husk." Shino reported.

"Kusa? Hard to believe considering their lands were ravaged during the many wars between Hi no Kuni (Land of Fire) and Tsuchi no Kuni (Land of Earth. Though it had been invaded quite a few times by Iwa so let's not rule it out. Alright Team, good report." Anko concluded.

"Alright my precious little Fresh meats, you know the drill. Collars on, or would you prefer I put them on for you?" Anko asked.

It was all for nothing really. They already had on their anti-magic/anti-LF collars. Anko just pouted and whined they were no fun. She missed the times when they actually tried to stop her from getting the collars on. Anko just put on her own collar and felt all her LF and magic rush out of her body and be sealed into the collar.

Ino still felt weak whenever the collar was on despite extended exposure to it. She felt like the lights were shut down and she was on her back up reserves. Poor Kiba felt alone since Akamaru was sent back to the Inuzuka Clan Summoning Portal and all his PE and SE were set to the bare minimum. Shino looked even more pale. His collar took all the FI from his body and sealed them inside it.

Anko showed little signs of fatigue, though her clothes got a bit skimpier to show she lost the ability to use her magic. Non-magical combat was more common than one might think. Every Warrior/Amazon Fresh and beyond were given anti-magic tools to aid in combat. Should one find themselves caught without magic, you needed to make sure your default could last you long enough to kill or at least get them to disarm the tools.

Anko bowed to her students and they returned the gesture. Anko took her stance and her team knew that was the only warning they would get before she struck. They all took their stance and Kiba was the first to rush their sensei. The Inuzuka leapt and then lunged at Anko, who easily bended and slicked out of the way.

Anko used her arching motion to do a handstand and coil her legs around Kiba, before flinging him into a nearby tree. Ino was swift to rush in and try to catch Anko's arms with a sliding kick, but the Snake Witch just pushed off the ground and landed on Ino's ankle in a stomp! Ino cried out and tumbled, but recovered in time to evade her sensei's swift strikes!

Shino rushed in from behind and grappled Anko in preparation for a suplex, but the Snake Witch managed to slip out of his grapple and tackle him from behind. She made sure to drive his face into the forest floor. Kiba and Ino both rushed her with a high-low combo. Anko just leapt through their combo in the small gap they left. She landed on her hands and pushed off to give them both firm kicks to their backs.

Shino recovered and rushed Anko, throwing fast jab combos followed by knee and elbow strikes at his sensei. Anko deflected his blows with well placed strikes, before she got inside his guard. She was prepared to gut him with a pelvis punch, but was forced to jump to evade Ino's leg sweep and had to dropkick Kiba in his chest to evade his swipes.

Anko had to back track to get some distance, but her team kept the pressure on by following her. That was until she slithered up a tree and raced off. Having to do it the old fashioned way, each member of Team Eighteen pulled out grappling hooks and used them to get up the nearest trees. They swiftly gave chase, using Kiba's default enhanced senses to keep up.

Anko kept them on the run for a bit, before she turned around and unleashed a hail storm of kunai! Ino's default reflexes allowed her to evade most of the onslaught, but she still received several lacerations. Kiba was able to evade getting anything beyond a cut across the chest. Shino got a few kunai stabbed into his arm. Anko followed that up with a shower of shuriken!

There was no way to evade them while traveling. So each member stopped on a branch, ran down the tree and took cover behind some dead tree trunks on the forest floor. Using the brief pause, Ino carefully removed the kunai from Shino and gave the best medical aid she could on short notice. It was disinfected and wrapped to stop bleeding. They had to move right after to evade another kunai hail storm.

A volley of shuriken followed suit and the team huddled together to cover each other. They pulled out their own kunai and began to deflect the volley of shuriken soaring their way. Their reaction time had to be precise to the nth degree! Not a movement wasted nor a single decisecond not accounted for. They managed to deflect all the shuriken and separated as a unit in time to evade another kunai, only for that one to have an explosive tag on in!

The tag denoted and forced the team to split up from the force. Anko came shooting out of the smoke and clotheslined Ino; effectively taking her out of the battle with knockout. Kiba slammed into a tree, but before he could recover Anko kicked his face back into the tree; knocking him out too. Poor Shino was struggling to get off his knees from the explosion, but Anko stomped him back on the ground and grinded her foot into his spine until he too was knocked out. Anko dusted her hands off and went about removing her and her students' anti-magic collars. With their individual magic restored, her students began to recover.

In the meantime, Anko went about setting up their magical training. She dug into her trench coat and released a training post from a MDM: Pocket, a literal pocket dimension used for storing items. The training post was made of rubber for training MLM. Shino and Kiba already had training partners with the tigers and insects of the forest.

With her work done, Anko decided to get her own training done. She pulled out a bottle from her trench coat and smashed it on the ground. Its contents began to bubble and expand until it formed two duplicates of Anko albeit with pink features.

Anko gathered MWM around her until she was submerged inside a large pink eater dome. The two Anko duplicates conjure water snakes that they lash against her water dome. The object of her training was to keep it solid to where it won't ripple when strike. The better her control, the less it will ripple. The water dome would not ripple for the first few waves of lashes, but it eventually began to ripple a bit.

Shino was the first to recover. He flexed his swarm a bit to get that familiar buzzing going. Ino was next and she ran in place to kick start herself. Kiba was last, Akamaru licked him awake. Ino went to firing her MLML at the training post to try to get her laser to go completely through it instead of just phasing out. Kiba saw the tigers just growling for him to step out of the barrier; you don't have to call him out twice.

Kiba and Akamaru eagerly left the barrier to engage the packs of tigers with their coral orange and crimson PEA flaring wildly and freely! Shino adjusted his glasses and opened his wings to take off to search for more insects for his FI to assimilate. It was just another training day for Team Eighteen…

Alright and scene. Happy new year everyone. It has been sometime since I last wrote a chapter for this. Despite what some might think I actually have a basic and solid story structure for this story. An outline if you will. I am not going to hold the story hostage for lack of reviews. I will write it when I feel the need to. If I see no one reviews, no one writes me asking about it or view it then I am reminded it is more of a hobby. Something to test out ideas for my own literature. The more reviews I get the more obligated I would feel to update sooner. I am a busy man, but I write for an audience. If my audience wants more I will give them more. So ball is in your court viewers. If you can read, you can write a brief on your thoughts.

Kiba: Hey I hear you and I feel you and all, but why do I get the feeling you have a problem with me?

Ino: Yeah! Why did I have to get eaten by a snake? Do you realize how many sexual jokes are just waiting there?

Me: Alright Kiba. Here it is. You are a waste of potential. You represent the whole of the canon Inuzuka clan. All bark and no bite. You are just underwhelming.

Kiba: Damn…

Me: You are underdeveloped. So much so that in the future your status is single? Roommate with a cat lady?? You are just sad.

Kiba: This just got real personal so Imma just leave…

Me: Don't you walk away Ino. You are just… Canon Barbie Doll. All looks and no substance. A watered down Sakura from Genin days.

Ino: Cries…


	11. Chapter 11

I don't own Naruto. I figured having a key every chapter from now on may help some readers. I understand the whole new magical system is different and may be hard to follow. Also since this chapter will likely include actual battle where people can die. I feel it is needed to state now that LF is basically their blood now. So now geysers of blood shooting out should someone get decapitated. In Naruto they even equate Chakra to blood, so I am cutting out the middle man and saying it now. LF is blood. When you get injured your LF tries to heal the wound so it won't leak out and if you lose too much you die. Other than that, same organs apply for the cast as they would in canon.

LF= Life Force (Chakra)

PE= Physical Energy (Yang Chakra)

SE= Spiritual Energy (Yin Chakra)

NE= Natural Energy (Covers Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, Lightning, and Darkness elements)

MLM= Mystical Lightning Magic (Lightning Release)

MWM= Mystical Water Magic (Water Release)

MDM= Mystical Darkness Magic (Genjustu, Nara Clan Hidden Jutsu)

SEM= Solar Earth Magic (Earth Release)

SWM= Solar Wind Magic (Wind Release)

SFM= Solar Fire Magic (Fire Release)

Sakura walked through the halls of the Konoha Hospital while jotting down some notes. She smiled to herself while going over them. Her skill in extracting and even curing poisons was the best in her internship! Not even Hinata could neutralize a poison faster than her. That didn't mean Hinata couldn't find ailments them fast thanks to her Byakugan. It always confused her as to why more Hyūga didn't become Medics; though Hinata explained that most only handled either internal cases or cases that required their enchanted sight.

Walking into her work area, Sakura smirked devilishly when she saw Ino on the operating table. No doubt the Yamanaka Heiress had been poisoned by her sensei. Sometimes Anko liked to just send her to the hospital for interns, read Sakura, to train their skills in. It was never lethal, but they were always unpleasant. That time Ino was afflicted with toxins that made her itch obsessively.

Choji had to hold the flailing Ino down while Sakura's hands generated pink SFM heat. Sure she could make her hands burn to the touch, but that would reflect badly on the mission; patients health outweighed personal feelings. The Pink haired Fire Fae placed her hand on Ino and let her SFM wash over her body. When the SFM came across the toxins, it tried to isolate it to stop it from spreading any further.

"Now you can relax, Yamanaka-san. You are in good hands now." Sakura assured professionally.

Sakura placed a hand over Ino's head and lulled her into a sedative sleep before the Witch could mess up her mission with her foul tongue. Her sedated state also made it easier for Sakura's SFM to flow through the Yamanaka and safely burn the toxins.

Meanwhile, Choji was working on his clan's trademark secret medicines. The Akimichi's brand of SEM allowed them control over their calories. The trademark Tri-Colored Pills were used by inexperienced Akimichi to do this, but it had adverse side effects. Choji wanted to make pills better suited for training; which is what they were meant to do.

Choji had broken down the green Spinach pill, guided it into beakers, and started the process of purifying it to allow other chemicals to be placed in. He went over his notes and failed combinations. Noting that adding certain chemicals made for a terrible combination; the blue Anmitsu pill. He wouldn't subject anyone to that horror…

Not even the convicted Mizuki deserved the ailments that pill caused; though Choji did let Ino and Anko have the only batch he made along with how to make it. His former Sensei had been caught trying to have an Academy student steal the Scroll of Seals for him. The would be Rouge was easily captured and brought there as part of his punishment.

Choji focused on adding chemicals meant to stimulate calorie growth. When all was said and done, the chemicals turned from green to purple much to the Akimichi's delight. He allowed it to cool and then molded it into a purple Delight pill. He gave it to the struggling Mizuki, who instantly gained over 100 lbs. His small frame morphed into a bloated frame with over 3 belly rolls!

"Hmm around 100 lbs. It should have been around 50 lbs. more added based on the amount of chemicals added…" Choji pondered while jotting down notes.

Adding weight meant adding more calories. Choji got another green Spinach pill and gave all three pills to silently fuming Mizuki. The effects were rather unpleasant with his calories forcibly converted into raw LF, that was sealed away leaving the Rouge Warrior withered and sickly. Hinata rushed over to the near death Rouge and used MWM combined with a specialized Nara medicine to neutralize the toxins and stabilize him; though he would need 4 months of extensive physical therapy.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru drooled on the booth of his station at the gates of Konoha. His chosen F Rank was simply being one of the Third Hokage's assistants. What did that entail? Registering anyone who wanted to enter the village through said gate. It was perfect for the Nara. Hardly anyone ever came during that time of day and that meant a whole lot of doing nothing. Yes it was the perfect mission…

"I swear I keep getting saddled with irresponsible lazy asses…" Izumo sighed in annoyance.

Izumo Kamizuki was a Seasoned MWM Warlock with dark brown hair combed down over his right eye and his Suppression Silk in the standard Konoha uniform. He was rather mature and serious and didn't take kindly to the Nara taking after his best friend, Kotetsu Hagane.

"Alright Fresh meat. Your shift is over, go waste your Sensei's time." Izumo said while shaking Shikamaru.

The dozing Nara was forced from his slumber with a yawn and his trademark This is a Drag under his breathe. "Another day of hard work…"

"Get out of my booth…" Izumo warned on the verge of an angry outburst evident by the bulging veins popping from his head.

"Hey save all that for Kotetsu. Last I heard, he was headed to the Veteran Standby Station." Shikamaru offered up his fellow slacker for sacrifice.

"Dammit I told him to stop disrespecting our Veterans by bumming in their station! That building is for Veterans awaiting orders from the Hokage, emergencies, or off duty Vets! Not Seasoned Warriors who act like they are Fresh!" Izumo stormed off cursing Kotetsu.

"Man that was close. Izumo-san really needs to chill out." Shikamaru drooled while walking to the Tea district.

You would think being a MWM Warlock would make Izumo more laid back like Kotetsu; but each Warlock was different. Magic types didn't necessarily mean personality types were consistent. Walking through the bustling shopping district was a constant reminder why Shikamaru even bothered to be a Warrior. That calming warm breeze, the brisk scent of wood, and the alluring sights was enough to make anyone content. Walking into Amaguriama, Shikamaru saw his teammates and Sensei waiting outside the shop.

"Well team I have some news for you I am sure one of you will groan about." Asuma stated looking at the sighing Nara.

"We have our first official mission." Asuma stated while pulling out the mission specs.

The team were genuinely surprised by the announcement. Normally Fresh teams didn't get missions beyond G until they had more experience. The ranking was unknown, but it had an air of urgency to it. It was a rescue mission for Kosuke Maruboshi, known as the Eternal Fresh Warrior. He had retrieved important Intel on Iwagakure and requested assistance making it out of Grass Country.

"A messenger bird has sent word that Kosuke has managed to lie low in a remote village in the country, but is being pursed by the Three Brothers and several squads of Seasoned Warriors." Asuma explained.

The Three Brothers were a trio Hunter team from Iwa. Shikamaru asked several questions regarding why a Fresh Warrior would even be allowed to do what would normally be a B rank mission easily. Turned out, Kosuke was only Fresh in rank by choice. He had survived each of the World Wars with his skill in MWM taught by the Second Hokage. Losing either him or the Intel was not an option. The mission specs specified that Seasoned Warriors/Amazons had already left to counter the other squads, leaving the Three Brothers to their team.

"Alright team. It's time to put all our training to the test. Shikamaru, you are to use MDM: Ghost to enter my shadow and tell me when you need to come out. Everyone else, wings out and soar off!" Asuma declared!

Sakura and Choji opened their wings for flight and soared high into the sky! Shikamaru's deep gray MDM warped his body into the shadows legs first. Once he was securely inside Asuma's shadow, the SWM Fae took off and set the pace. Team Twenty set off for the Grass Country at high speeds! On their way they pasted many Konoha Warriors/Amazons between the village gates and the outer forests. They flew over the rooftops that turned into treetops.

Team Twenty flew out of the open gates of Konohagakure and once the were in the open fields they went supersonic! They soared above the clouds to avoid any traffic. The Solar Triad was displayed skillfully in their Triangle Formation flight. Asuma lead with smoky gray SWM with an aurora pink SFM Sakura burning the right and Choji's vermillion wings beat the left. Keeping pace they managed to cover much of the Land of Fire in a few hours. Flying at such high speeds for that long took absolute focus to ensure the body could handle the flow of magic.

The waning sun and casting shadows gave Shikamaru more shadows to keep himself inside Asuma's ever changing shadow off the clouds. Still they had to land at rest stops along the way. By night fall they landed to rest in Crater City. Much like its name states the city was made inside a ground depression and even at night the year around festivals ensured it was lit and bustling.

Before entering the city, Team Twenty set their Warrior/Amazon Silks to casual to better blend in with the crowd folk. Their attire lacked any of their usual tastes or any recognizable features. The walked through the city of festivities until they found a hotel to sleep the night. Asuma and Sakura shared one room while Choji and Shikamaru shared another.

It was only after lying on their hotel beds could they release the sigh of exhaustion. They didn't have time to think about the situation until then. Their first mission. Their first taste of Warrior life. Their performance would mean the difference between saving a comrade or watching them die.

"Say, Shika." Choji called out.

"Yeah, Choji?" Shikamaru asked.

"Do you think we're ready for this? An unknown ranked mission to rescue a senior Fresh Warrior?" Choji asked honestly.

Shikamaru gave his response serious thought. His skill in MDM allowed him to sense what his best friend was feeling due to them being around each other for so many years. Choji felt a mixture of both dread and valor. While the SEM Fae felt some fear, his resolve to continue anyway gave him and thus Ikuji more strength. That is what Shikamaru admired in the Akimichi.

"As much as I would rather we had stuck to F ranks, yeah Choji. I know we're ready." Shikamaru stated with a smirk.

The Nara Heir would also admit to some nervousness at having to face Seasoned Warriors outside a spar for the first time, but the challenge excited him in a way he wasn't used to. Sure he felt some thrill some outsmarting Asuma and Naruto in Shoji, but the thought of pitting his mind against an unknown force almost made him want to get out of bed; almost.

Meanwhile, Sakura stared at the ceiling. Asuma was also in a trance-like state. He sat with his legs folded criss-cross, his wings closed around him, and his SW, Jinsoku, whirling in his lap. The twin trench knives with brass knuckles smoked a dark gray. Sakura's forehead lit up with small crimson spark of fire…

Sakura found herself soaring through pink clouds of her shared space with Yūki. It had changed much from the last time she had come crying to a broken Yūki. When she went below the clouds she was delighted to see the mountainous terrain before her. Her teammates had influenced her and it was reflected in the space. Yūki's alter was located in an dormant volcano that was steadily smoking in anticipation.

"Well Yūki this is it. This is our first mission as Team Twenty…" Sakura started and yet couldn't seem to find the words to say.

Sakura trembled before the stoned Yūki at his alter. Whether he was resting in order to be prepared for what was to come or he too was uncertain was not clear. Yūki was not the type to tell you what he felt or thought outside of battle. He was valor incarnate and felt that anything else was not worth waking up for. That made communion rather hard, but the pink haired Fae dealt with it. If anything it helped her find her own fire.

"I know these past few months weren't what I thought as a kid. There is no Sasuke-kun to save me. I'm not just some fangirl that needs saving, but…" Sakura started.

"Shikamaru-kun and especially Choji-kun have shown me I can stand with him as an equal. I am Sakura Haruno of Team Twenty… Yeah! I am the Cha! In Shika-Cho-Cha!" Sakura pumped herself up to the point sparks of aurora pink flames burst from her body.

The gravity of their mission had not escaped them. They were well aware that their first mission was vital in determining their status as Warriors/Amazon. As Fresh Warriors their mission pool was slim to none and it was tradition for all heirs/heiresses to spend their Fresh and Seasoned years outside the clan estate and without their financial backing. F rank missions were paid internships, but nowhere near enough to live off of. Thank Kami Sasuke was cool enough to let them have houses at the Uchiha District; though he made them pay for them.

Not to mention they were going to have to fight seasoned Warriors outside the village. They weren't even outside the Land of Fire yet, so they still felt like they were in Konoha. It would be their first time outside of the Land of Fire, but they routinely flew laps between the various cities of the Land of Fire for patrols. They rested for around 4 hours before they woke to take flight once more. The moon was still up, but it was waning.

The moonlight proved the perfect conditions for Shikamaru. In the dark of the night he didn't have to worry about shadows thinning out or fading in light. The Nara crept into Asuma's shadow and rode along the starry night. By dawn they finally crossed the border and into the bamboo forests of Grass Country. Flying over the bamboo forests until they became grasslands, the team prepared themselves for the battle that was waged.

The Konoha Seasoned Warriors/Amazons battled with the Iwa Seasoned Fae Warriors/Amazons. Seeing Warlocks/Witches working with Fae was beyond offensive to the all Fae village of Iwagakure. The Iwa Fae and their SW saw the Konoha Fae and SW as race traitors and worse than dirt. The battle was fierce and Asuma knew he would have to assist against the seasoned Fae.

"Shikamaru. You are Team Leader. Go and find Kosuke; he can't be too far from here." Asuma directed before the team crash landed to split up some of the opposing Iwa warriors.

Asuma, Sakura, and Choji retract their wings back into their bodies and sealed them inside their hearts. Shikamaru shot out of Asuma's shadow and the Fresh Team all raced into the bamboo forests nearby. Shikamaru saw signs of a battle there and since it was away from the main force, chances were it was Kosuke and the Three Brothers.

"I can't wait to snatch out those wings and pull out your beating heart, Fairy!" an Iwa SFM Fae yelled such a slur to Sakura.

A thin line of smoky gray SWM cut through the offending Fae and rose a wall of razor winds up to block further assault on Asuma's team. With his trench knives edged longer with his SWM, Asuma dared anyone to come at him; to which some answered the call. Pulling out a sack, the Veteran Fae threw it up to spread gunpowder in the air, and then controlled his SWM wall into streams to carry the gunpowder specifically to cloak the Iwa in a cloud of ash.

Using the flint in his teeth, Asuma ignited the gunpowder cloud in a fiery explosion that engulfed the opposing Fae. His victory was short lived when he was forced to clash blades with another SWM Fae. He would have to leave the rest to his team…

Team Twenty rushed towards the bamboo forest, until their path was cut short by blades of light embedding in the ground from above. The light blades soon faded and one of the supposed brothers hovered high above them. The SFM Fae wore his SW as armor that emitted beams of light the Iwa Fae could then turn into weapons.

"He's clearly stalling us. Choji, Sakura! Formation: G!" Shikamaru directed! Choji and Sakura got in line and performed their assigned magic. The SFM Fae began to shine in preparation for his next light assault!

Choji erected a large tower around the team with his SEM: Wall of Protection and then Sakura set the whole thing ablaze in pink flames with her SFM: Combust. The tower heated up and from the gathered minerals of the tower, it turned to glass in time to reflect the light based blades. Choji then etched the tower's glass surface to make it translucent, split the tower into five smaller columns, and placed them in a particular pattern in a wide area around them.

"Alright, Choji. I need you to go recover Kosuke and bring him back here. Sakura and I will manage until then so hurry." Shikamaru told him.

Choji placed his trust in his team and burrowed underground before traveling towards the other SEM being used nearby. The connection granted by the NE of earth allowed him to not only establish a link with the world to mold and shape it however strong his link was, but it allowed him to get a mild sense of other SEM links nearby. It was mild in that it was similar to an ordinary person being able to feel an earthquake before it struck. With Choji going ahead of them, Shikamaru put his contribution into the G formation. Using his MDM: Minion, the Nara was able to make five specters from the shadows of the tower.

The minions rushed the SFM Iwa Fae in an attempt to ensnare him in their paralyzing grip, but the Iwa Fae kept them at bay with beams of light. Still the Minions would only suffer some holes in their beings before sinking into the shadows to recover for another round.

"Alright Shika, I'm going in!" Sakura declared!

Yūki blazed crimson flames from the diamond on her forehead and together they used SFM: Adrenal to boost Sakura's LF flow with Yūki's crimson SFM. It gave her body flickers of crimson sparks, but she wasn't done. With her precise control, she was able to focus her aurora pink flames into her fists; giving her flaming gloves. Sprouting her bat-like wings, the blazing Haruno shot out of the tower and soared towards the SFM Iwa Fae! Shikamaru canceled his Minions as they dissolved into the shadows of the towers and opted to use his MDM: Weaver to make wiggling tendrils of darkness at the towers' edges. They waited for their wielder's demands, who watched Sakura for the opportune moment.

Sakura flew at the Iwa Fae with fists blazing aurora pink! Her swings were straight and true for maximum effort and power. The Iwa Fae erected shields of light to defend against Sakura's punches; each had the strength to easily pulverize boulders. His shields wouldn't last more than two punches, but they did their job of protecting him. Shikamaru took action and sent one of his shadow weaves to ensnare the Iwa Fae, but his armor would just shine bright enough to cast away any shadows. Sakura made sure to keep the Iwa Fae within Shikamaru's range.

"You kids would be a threat, if you had time to mature." The Iwa Fae admitted while shielding himself with a light shield. Just as it shattered, the Iwa Fae converted it into a SFM: Heat Ray and blasted Sakura with it!

"Sucks for you that you ran into Shōkyaku of the Three Brothers." Shōkyaku stated.

Sakura slammed into the tower Shikamaru was hiding behind. Her Infernal Silk helped her resist the intense heat, though she noted it got insanely more itchy! Any attempts to move was halted by a continuous heat ray beaming down on her and threatening to melt the glass tower Shikamaru was in! Not to mention the flash from the ray made his shadow weaves retreat into the creases of the towers.

Shikamaru used his own shadow and weaved it into a ladder for him to climb out of the tower in time for Sakura to sidestep the heat ray and allow it to melt through the glass! The Iwa Fae made sure to keep them apart with precise light blades that followed and slashed at them longer than the previous light blades. The Iwa Fae's hands were engulf in light and he clearly guided the light blades. Sakura was able to deflect the slashes with her flaming fists, but was sent flying when she slipped and caught a light blade to the gut. If not for her Infernal Silk, she would have been stabbed clean through, but the force of the impact still shattered several of the bamboo trees nearby.

Shikamaru's Phantasm Silk was pushed to its limits! All the extra MDM it afforded was immediately used to obscure the Iwa Fae's vision just enough to allow Shikamaru some control over where he MAY guide the sword stalking him. His shadow weaves also helped deflect and redirect the various slashes aimed at him. The light blades were able to easily cut through the shadow weaves and Shikamaru's LF in tow. Instead of letting the shadows dissipate, Shikamaru gave up the remaining LF in his Phantasm Silk to keep the shadows tangible around the area. Though the loss in LF meant that what little resistance he had was gone and he couldn't avoid being pinned down by a light blade stabbing his foot!

Seeing her teammate in distress, Sakura took the phantom light blades stabbing her in her right forearm and soared towards Shikamaru. The Iwa Fae turned to Sakura and unleashed a massive heat ray she had no hope to dodge! She had to muster up all the strength granted to her by her SFM: Adrenal and punched the ground with enough force to crater it and throw up enough dirt and debris to at least hamper the heat ray. It was not stopped though and still hit her with enough force to knock her wings back into her heart and cause her to tumble on the ground.

"How long does it take to kill an old Fresh warrior?" Kyōkakyu sighed in annoyance thinking of his brothers and their mission to retrieve that stolen Intel…

Meanwhile, Kosuke had his MWM multi-arm wave around him defensively. His calm and collected personality shining true even in the thick of battle. The information he had gained was too important. He had sustained serious damage while fleeing. He had a spike pierce his shoulder along with several other spikes jutting out of the main one. LF was dangerously leaking out of the wound and he figured his only hope was for backup to arrive.

The Three Brothers used the bamboo terrain to their advantage. All three were hidden from Kosuke from below and above. The SEM Brother used his SEM to uproot the bamboo trees and sent them flying at Kosuke like long bats! The Eternal Fresh Warrior countered with his octo arms of water and snapped the bamboo pike twigs.

"Looks like I have to do everything once again, Renchi and after you let that Intel slip!" a voice scolded.

A gale of SWM carried the shrapnel from the broken bamboo and turned them into blades of death! Kosuke cast a shell around him using his multi-arms that absorbed the damage. The broken remains of the bamboo began to try stabbing him and were soon joined by more uprooted bamboo! Two of the brothers wore down the wounded Kosuke with their onslaught of bamboo and fierce winds. Whenever he used his multi-arms to anchor himself to avoid being carried away via SWM directly into a legion of SEM controlled bamboo, he would have to stop to evade the pits Renchi opened whenever he came up to attack with his pitchfork SW!

"Would you stop your bitching, Jippā? First off, the guy hide inside our well as water for 3 months. 3 MONTHS! Second, do you realize how many times we MUST have drank him? Finally, he just comes shooting out of my canteen the other day and swipes our Intel. Who does that? Who hides inside a canteen?" Renchi asked perplexed.

"EXCUSES! Let's just finish this guy off before Shōkyaku-Ani returns or else…" Jippā warned. He threw his own pitch fork over his shoulder and shook his head in sheer disappointment.

Renchi just shrugged and went to finish Kosuke off. He brought the bamboo trees to him and formed a giant ball made of bamboo and rolled over towards Kosuke, who tried to use his multi-arms to redirect the ball, but the rolling made them splash away. Resigning himself to his fate, the Eternal Fresh Warrior said a silent prayer that he may be reunited with his fallen comrades.

"You have my clan fucked up! SEM: Augmentation!" Choji roared from below!

Renchi was shocked when his momentum was completely halted and he was gripped by a gigantic hand like a baseball! Jippā flew up to avoid the debris Choji's appearance brought, but the Akimichi just threw his own brother at him! Jippā could only curse his idiot youngest brother for not sensing the SEM Fae beforehand. Renchi didn't cancel his spell even when he collided with and smashed his brother into the ground; he lacked the control.

"Kosuke, prep yourself for SEM: Transport!!" Choji warned before he slammed both his hands into the ground and channeled SEM into it. Not only did the ground around all of them glow vermillion, but the glass towers also light up with Choji's SEM.

In an instant, Choji, Kosuke, Renchi, and Jippā were transported via the ground literally rotating like a flip table to where Shōkyaku, Shikamaru, and Sakura were fighting. Choji used his augmented arm to shield his wounded teammates from the shower of light blades. He winced back the pain when the burning blades dug in him.

"I shall not forget this my fellow Fresh Warriors." Kosuke thanked them before fleeing. He had ever intention of getting them back up, but he could not afford to lose the Intel he had stolen! It was vital to Konoha that the Hokage be made aware of what he had found.

"Just in time, Choji! Let's end this with Formation O!" Shikamaru directed steeling his resolve.

Choji gulped down his doubt at the sight of Sakura and Shikamaru's wounded state and used his SEM: Mountain Wrecker to become a gigantic ball of pure muscle tank. Sakura used another SFM: Adrenal and focused it into her physique to enhance her strength. With her regained titanic strength, Sakura picked up the massive Choji and tossed him with all her might at the Three Brothers.

Jippā sent gales of wind in the forms of hands to try to catch the missing ball, but Choji began to use his LF to roll and crush the winds with little resistance. Renchi joined in and formed an earth wall to block the rolling Mountain Wrecker, but it just wrecked right through that. Renchi erected several more walls and after the seventh one, Choji was halted.

"Seven walls… Out of seven walls you didn't think to use a spike? Not even once?" Jippā deadpanned.

"I didn't see your soft hands stopping that fatass!" Renchi defended himself.

"He's not fat dumbasses!" Sakura defended her teammate. With her trademark battle cry of 'CHA!' The Haruno kicked the Mountain Wrecker with a SFM: Adrenal in her lead foot! The momentum not only helped Choji break the hurdle, but gave him the push to pick up more speed! Renchi and Jippā were caught by surprise and were easily smashed underneath the Mountain Wrecker.

"This is why I don't tell people our surname. Couldn't even handle these pest. I hope their deatha at least appease Tsuchikage-sama. " Shōkyaku sighed.

Choji reverted to his normal size to reveal Jippā and Renchi alive, yet with their wings retracted and to broken to do much else without serious healing.

"Tsk. Couldn't even finish the job… Children all of you. It is your mercy that will be the deaths of you." Shōkyaku said in a matter of factual way.

To Team Twenty's shock, Shōkyaku sent light blades through the hearts of his own brothers! Their bodies were vaporized and their SW claimed by him via integrating into his armor. His armor no longer shined, instead their combined pitch fork shined as well as released winds so fierce the team had to anchor themselves with their respective magic.

"No mercy… Solar Triad: Bond Breaker." Shōkyaku chanted coldly.

Rising the pitchfork skyward, Shōkyaku shot heat rays all around him until he carved out an area for him to levitate with SWM. Team Twenty could do nothing but anchor themselves due to the fierce winds Shōkyaku summoned. Twirling the pitchfork towards the ground he stood on, the Iwa Fae stabbed it into the ground. The entire area he carved out and levitated exploded in a fiery flash that rained down flaming debris like arrows from the heavens!

Team Twenty didn't have much time to react. When Shōkyaku stabbed the ground, the fierce winds had calmed long enough for them to get to their feet and put up some defense. Choji erected a SEM: Wall of Protection and Sakura tried her best to lessen more damage with her SFM: Heat Transfer. The fiery arrows bombarded Team Twenty relentlessly. The barriers stood no chance, but Sakura did her duty as the team medic. She gave Shikamaru her own Infernal Silk to protect him from the worse of the burns. Poor Choji got the worst of it being the first barrier to fall. His Sage Silk afforded him some defense, but not enough to completely save him.

Sakura was trying to heal Choji on the sly by acting knock out on top of him. Choji was in fact unconscious with his wings retracted. A Fae was at their most vulnerable when their wings were forcibly retracted. Shōkyaku landed near them and was not fooled and sent a large light blade through both Sakura and Choji, though the strangest thing happened. Instead of their bodies bursting into light, they seemed to vanish like…!

"MDM: Possess successful." Shikamaru stated from the shadows. Only his arm could be seen reaching out from the shadows of one of his shadow weaves and gripping Shōkyaku's leg. The physical contact was all he needed to induce a MDM based illusion.

MDM: Possess either allowed you to force mimicry on someone or produce an illusion on them. The illusion varied by user, but for Shikamaru he would have the illusion show them what they wanted to see. In reality, once the barriers were set, Shikamaru used MDM: Traverse to the shadow of his previously weaved shadow he kept near the Iwa Fae. Knowing that Shikamaru could not hold him for long, Choji steeled himself to correct his mistake. They couldn't afford to let the Iwa Fae live. If he didn't care enough to spare his own brothers, then he would have no trouble killing them if given the chance.

"Allow me" Ikuji offered.

Ikuji knew his partner was kind hearted and the thought of killing, even someone like Shōkyaku, appaled him. Using their link, Ikuji took control of Choji's arms. Using SEM: Augmentation, Ikuji made his arms titanic in size and slammed down on the stunned Shōkyaku's chest! The Iwa Fae didn't know what hit him until he was slammed into the ground and his wings retracted into his heart.

Though he was gravely injured, Shōkyaku refused to give in. He cursed Konoha and all their clan names. He sent light blades at them, but they were too weak to even make it to them. Even when defeated, the Iwa Fae would fight. Ikuji went in for the kill, but Choji asserted his will and stopped. He didn't want Ikuji to do it for him. If not for Shikamaru's intellect, they would have died because he didn't kill the other brothers in order to claim their SW. Choji had to take calming breathes to still his beating heart. He jumped when Sakura and Shikamaru placed their hands on his shoulders. It was decided.

Team Twenty gathered around Shōkyaku and as a team; they killed him with blasts of their respective magic. They had to do it together. They had to watch the light leave his eyes and the LF drain completely from his body. It was haunting, but it made them stronger. With their mission halfway complete, the team wearily return to their Sensei and to ensure Kosuke made it to reinforcements.

The battlefield was riddled with corpses. Once the LF was completely gone from them, all that remained where literal wingless husks and shattered weapons of the unclaimed SW.Asuma smiled faintly at his team. They looked aghast and hollow. It was clear from that day that whatever notions they may have held about the Warrior/Amazon life had been tested that day. Only time would tell how they matured from it. Though the time for consuling was not in foreign land.

Team Twenty, along with the remaining Seasoned Squad and Kosuke, made their way back to Konoha. Kosuke trailed behind due to having to leap from the tree tops so he was able to take in his saviors. He had heard the current generation had decided to skip the Ino-Shika-Cho formation in favor of the new dynamic. From the fact he was alive to share the Intel with his village spoke volumes of their teamwork. Team Twenty seemed to have a bright, if not odd, future ahead of them...

Edited: May 23, 2018

And scene. It has been sometime since I wrote for this, but this should show I am still on it. It is 5 am where I am. I know this may be short, but I wanted to end it so I could get some sleep. Plus I liked what this chapter does for Team Twenty. It establishes their new dynamic from the past Gen.I decided to give them an offical mission first because besides Team 7, Team 10 actually had documented missions I could use. While they are off screen, it is canon that Team 10 had a Rescue Kosuke mission in their Genin days. I do my research and try to limit OCs as much as possible. So far only the Three Brothers are OC and that is only their names and abilities. The Three Brothers are canon, if yet another characters only mentioned and not seen.

While this is clearly an AU, I don't want to stray too far from Canon. This fanfic is just my attempt to answer some questions I personally had with the series as whole after all is said and one. To appease you for this feeling short to me. Next chapter is Team 17. A little training to show what Naruto was talking about. Maybe a little F rank for them and finally a fresh take on the Capture Tora mission, because it is a Fanfic stable and I would feel criminal not to include it.


	12. Chapter 12

I don't own Naruto. Although I haven't gotten a review the past 5 chapters as of me writing this. I do have something to go off of in the form of feedback. Judging by the views, viewers seem to really like the F rank missions. Despite them being the most recent, they are either close to or already have more views than my longest chapter to date. Apparently having 3 battles at once may have been too overwhelming as it felt that way to me just writing. With that in mind, I have decided to go ahead and include Team 17's F ranks, minus Hinata's because I basically already did hers last chapter. Any questions or concerns please leave a review or inbox. Without further ado.

LF= Life Force (Chakra)

PE= Physical Energy (Yang Chakra)

SE= Spiritual Energy (Yin Chakra)

NE= Natural Energy (Covers Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, Lightning, and Darkness elements)

MLM= Mystical Lightning Magic (Lightning Release)

MWM= Mystical Water Magic (Water Release)

MDM= Mystical Darkness Magic (Genjustu, Nara Clan Hidden Jutsu)

SEM= Solar Earth Magic (Earth Release)

SWM= Solar Wind Magic (Wind Release)

SFM= Solar Fire Magic (Fire Release)

While Team Twenty and the Seasoned Squad rested in a hotel at one of Grass Country's small cities, Kosuke lied up at night. While he understood the need to rest up before making their way back, he could not rest. What he learned was too vital for him to feel safe outside of Konoha. He decided to make a coded copy of the Intel to be sent back to the Konoha Hub, a building closely related to the Konoha Cryptanalyst Team. There they collect messages from Warriors on the field via magical messengers to be decoded and analyzed for information.

Opening the window, Kosuke conjured a mini manta ray to carry the copy and let it free into the night. The manta ray split into several other manta rays and used the moisture in the air to shoot off and scatter into different directions just to be safe. The true manta ray swam in the air to Konoha ahead of him. With nothing else for him to do until they returned to the Leaf village, Kosuke allowed himself to fall asleep…

Later that day, Sasuke was in the Crypt going over a recent message the department received with his one of the lead Crypts, Yurika watching over. Yurika was a MLM witch who was regarded as the best decoders. It was another busy day with various magical messages zipping around in their various forms. Some messages were carried by lightning canaries, others with burning pixies, and some just seemed to appear out of black boxes of darkness. The Uchiha Troll used his Sharingan to better analysis the rather difficult code.

"It is refreshing to see your Sharingan actually struggle to comprehend something. Usually you go through 3 coded messages a day, but here you are on the same one since this morning." Yurika smirked.

Yurika found the Uchiha Troll annoying in that Sasuke seemed to grasp the complexity of Cryptology like it was nothing. It was as simple as looking at the Code Index once and knowing what it meant for him. Meanwhile it took others YEARS of study and dedication. His only saving grace is that he at least took it seriously. Despite the ease he seemed to have, he could be found studying on his own and actually trying to memorize certain codes.

"Careful, Yurika. Your jealousy is showing and yes I am referring to jealous and not envy. Envy implies you lack something and jealousy implies you are losing something; in this case your place as the best Crypt. The Crypt allows me to send for equipment from Sora-Ku, so calm down you're still the best." Sasuke said with a snarky tone.

"I. Don't know how to take that… Just leave your notes and get out. Isn't it about time for you to go be the smartest ass in your team?" Yurika grumbled.

Sasuke just shrugged and got up from his work station. Unlike his cubic mate, Shiho, he was actually organized and had all his paperwork filed away neatly. He took one last look at his notes and frowned at the only word he was able to decipher: Rice. When the Uchiha left, Yurika looked over them and at first was going to ignore it. That was until she recognized the old code and decided to give it to her Lead, Mitoku.

Mitoku was a Veteran MLM Warlock back from the Third Hokage's generation. Yurika may have recognized the code, but it was before her time. Yurika reported it to Mitoku, who looked over the message and was instantly alarmed. That code was not only old, but it was used by Veterans to alert them the Hokage needed to know what the message was as soon as possible. Using MLM: Claircognizance, streaks of mental lightning shot from Mitoku's head and struck the many bookshelves around him. The pages from the books, scrolls, and tomes flew open and went through each and every page with Mitoku gaining the vast knowledge of the collection.

"I see… Yurika you are in charge until I get back. Why don't you try deciphering the message. I must report directly to Hokage-Sama." Mitoku explained. The Veteran Warlock walked over to a landline and used MLM: Traverse to convert into electricity and travelled the line all the way from the Crypt to the Hokage's direct line…

Meanwhile, Naruto was cleaning Soyokaze at the Portal Department's meditation area. The Detection Department had 15 teams of three members, all dressed in silk similar to those of a Shinto priest; except Naruto and his team. Every 3 teams dedicated 8 hour shifts, though interns like Naruto worked between 2-4. Their hats had the Barrier Team symbol above the Konoha forehead protector. Naruto had a Barrier Team protector across his chest. They reside on the lower level of the barrier chamber, one sitting in the middle of the four pillars in front of the Core, with the other two standing on either side. When someone enters through the barrier, the person in the middle detects them and their point of entry.

The Interception Division had 25 teams of five members. When at rest, they reside in the meditation area on the upper level of the barrier chamber, drinking tea and revitalizing their LF via meditation. They wear the standard Konoha uniform, but with the Barrier Team symbol on the upper arm, instead of the standard spiral of Uzushiogakure. When the barrier division detects an intrusion, the interception division rush to the site to apprehend the intruder. At least one members of the team is from the Hyūga clan.

Being a member of the Detection Division was a standard for Fresh Warriors doing F ranks. A basic understanding of how the Portal Barrier works was needed as well as skill in or mastery of Portal Magic before one could be promoted to the Interception Division. Should an intruder be detected, you had to be able to open a portal, or one of its equivalents, within 3 seconds to even be considered with timespans of 1 second or less being recommended. Naruto usually had to spend some time before his shift preparing his LF control. How one controlled their LF dictated how their magic was released and behaved, especially with Portal Magic.

To the outside world, Naruto was simply cleaning his SW, but to the trained eye; the truth would be clear. Each motion had a purpose and built more intimacy between Soyokaze and Naruto and thus their control. Each time he wiped down, he was shaving off excess SWM to give her a finer edge. Her extended exposure to both Naruto and the Kyūbi meant that Soyokaze had thick layers that needed to be shaved off regularly. One positive that came from her thick layers was Naruto could reshape her if he wanted. He normally shaved her down until she was the length of a tango, but Soyokaze could always extended herself past most katana.

"Naruto-kun, I want to be Wakizashi length! Tanto makes me feel short!" Soyokaze chimed in.

Naruto could understand that seeing as he used to be the shortest in class. Once he shaved her down to her liking, Naruto left the Meditation Room to go to his Sector: K. It was one of 15 sectors that monitored various locations around the village. Naruto and his team: Kotetsu and Izumo (I shit you not. They are officially members of Konoha Barrier Team! As in two of the only three members they credited as being on the team.) were assigned the front gates as well as the Northern and Eastern sides.

"About time you got here, Naruto. Being a member of the Detection team is an honor befitting the official Shinto robes.

Izumo was the middle, Coordinator, member of their team. He opened the Portal Orb via his Oasis Magic; the MWM equal to Portal Magic. It worked by drawing the moisture from the hardest of places and using it to open up the well that was Open Space; a dimension connected to and by all elements. (Think of it as Obito's Kamui dimension except not as personally. This is more open like a highway for capable people to use.) Kotetsu would use his own Oasis magic to monitor the front gate.

"I swear I just cannot escape the damn front gate. I got into the Portal Department to be an Interceptor. I am a warrior dammit!" Kotetsu groaned. His blue crystal underneath his nose bandage glowed brightly while he guided his view over the gate. His view could be seen as a clear liquid oval screen projected off of the Izumo's Portal Orb.

Naruto's view could be see as a triangle with a slash through the top. It was projected from Soyokaze and its viewpoint on Izumo's Portal Orb was that of a spiral. Even after meditating beforehand, ascending his SWM to Portal Magic took some minutes to achieve. The process started off similar to his teammates. He would use his medium to gather the needed magic; in his case SWM spiraling around Soyokaze. He would then have to pour his own LF into her until Soyokaze had enough to turn it into Portal Magic. After that, Naruto had to control and guide it precisely to do what he needed it to do. If your focus was off even by a minute detail, it all fails and you either have to start over from the loss or you get some embarrassing accidents.

Though if you asked Izumo Naruto meant to look in the Hot Springs. He was only checking to see if his Godmother was there he swore! In terms of battle, the charge time was a hazardous 5 minutes and again if done wrong you could portal a limb off at best; Completely trap yourself in a different with no magic and thus no way back at worst. There was also the time Naruto opened a portal in practice and ended up skydiving off the Hokage Monument.

Once his viewpoint was cleared, Naruto monitored the Northern part of the village. He could see all of the Hokage Monument and even scope out the Hokage Mansion. It was his favorite section for obvious reasons. To him, seeing the faces of the village leaders and heroes and where the Hokage slept just reaffirmed his goal. He wanted to be Hokage so that he could protect his home and guide it… In some kind of good direction. If he were honest, he didn't have much planned in the way of what he would do when he became Hokage. He would just strive for it and learn how to be the best Hokage along the way.

"That lucky lazy bastard. To think Shikamaru got his first mission already. I almost regret not being at the gate to greet him." Kotetsu stated when he saw Team Twenty and a few squads of Seasoned Warriors return to the village a little worse for wear.

"WHAT?! Here trade me views!" Naruto demanded. Kotetsu just shrugged and gave Naruto view over the front gate while he shifted to the eastern side.

Sure enough, Naruto saw Shikamaru, Choji, and Sakura returning to the village. Meanwhile, Kotetsu was monitoring the eastern side of the village when something caught his attention. Its LF signature was known to them judging by the indigo tint to the signature, but it wasn't of any of the known dominant races; making it bestial in nature. Once Kotetsu got a good look at it, he chuckled to himself. He felt bad for the team assigned to 'that' mission until he realized something.

"Man Naruto. They let Shikamaru of all people go on a mission besides F rank before any other of his class. I'd be feeling pretty hurt if I were you. We both know Shikamaru probably groaned and said why not give it to Team 17." Kotetsu goaded.

"Right? I mean if anyone needed a dose of real world experience it is Shika for sure, but I want it more! I need it more! I gotta go convince Kakashi-Sensei to get us a better mission!" Naruto said.

"Oh no you don't! Your shift isn't over yet. You have an obligation to finish monitoring your part of our sector." Izumo explained.

"Corporeal Clone! Happy? It can easily last all of the 30 minutes left in my shift." Naruto stated.

Naruto did the infamous cross hand seal and used LF to create a Corporeal Clone of himself. Using the PE aspect of his LF he gave the clone its form and body. With the SE aspect he gave it thought and a copy of his mind. Finally with NE he gave it a connection to SWM along with a copy of Soyokaze. It really annoyed Izumo to no end that the blonde Fae had enough LF to make a CC with enough LF to maintain Portal Magic. That simply put wasn't fair and shouldn't be a thing that can casually happen!

"So… What part do you want me to monitor? I am cool with the north." The CC stated.

"Just… Do whatever…" Izumo sighed. Naruto smirked and opened a portal to his training grounds. On the other side, he saw his team gathering.

"Relax. I will guide us there so leave it to me!" Soyokaze assured. Naruto sighed in relief.

Soyokaze enveloped Naruto in a shell of winds that took him off his feet. The SW flew through the Portal with her partner in tow. The space between the real world and the Open Space varied by magic. To those who entered it through Portal Magic, it was like traveling through clouds with only your end destination in sight. The problem being the end point would get smaller and the Open Space would cover more and more of the space between until it was closed off. Good thing, Soyokaze had the control to cut the end point open further for them to pass through and arrive at the training ground in what his teammates saw as in an instant. A calm breeze marked their arrival and the shell cracked open for Naruto to step out and grip Soyokaze.

"Pffft. Soyokaze still has to carry you through the Open Space ay, Dumbass." Sasuke said more than asked.

"At least I know what Open Space looks like; what it feels like to experience it." Naruto defended.

"That is besides the point. Kakashi-Sensei! Did you know that Team Twenty just returned from their first ranked mission outside of F ranks?!" Naruto asked. Even Sasuke was shocked by the news.

"What? I am stuck looking over codes with some egoistical Seasoned Witch over my shoulder, but freaking Shikamaru gets a real mission?" Sasuke asked accusingly.

"No I didn't know. It is not my business what Asuma or the other Vets do with their teams. That being said I was going to opt out of training in order to get us a C rank mission. I have the perfect one in mind for you all." Kakashi said with his eye smile. Naruto cheered and even Sasuke was smugly smirking.

Hinata was weary of their Sensei and for good reason. Being a Warlock, Kakashi may have an affinity for MLM, but his years of experience and skill granted him adept use of all forms of MM. He was a great teacher of MWM and saw Hinata grow leaps in bounds by trail of drowning. Yes that was correct. A lot of her training involved having to escape MWM prisons, repel water away from her head while he was actively dunking her head in his MWM, and of course escape one of his restriction seals at the bottom of the lake.

Kakashi led his team to the Administrative Building located in the Academy. Months of taking G ranks wiped away any nostalgia that being back in the Academy may have brought. They rarely saw the new batch of Academy students, though rarely didn't mean never.

Walking into the Administrative Office, Team 17 bowed respectfully to the Third, who waved them off to either report the weeks training log or seek higher missions. Seeing the Old Man with his Hokage behind the desk put a smile on Naruto's face. While their relationship had… Matured a bit, he still held great respect and admiration for the Third. The title of Hokage was not for the foolish… That made him frown.

"Team 17 requesting an officially ranked mission, Hokage-Sama. I feel it is about time. I feel the Capture Tora mission is best since it is a simple C rank mission." Kakashi requested.

Naruto had stars in his eyes and even Sasuke was drooling with anticipation. Hinata shuffled nervously getting a sick feeling from the exchange the Third and Kakashi shared. That sense of smug satisfaction almost made her skin crawl! The Third accepted their request and sealed their fates with a stamp on the mission scroll.

"Alright team. This is a capture mission that means no killing our target. Also, the target has to be brought back in good condition. Any marks or scratches will result in deductions from your pay; so try to place nice." Kakashi explained before closing the mission scroll.

"This isn't some lame mission where we have to find some woman's cat is it?" Sasuke asked getting suspicious.

"Haha! Oh trust me when I say this mission is the perfect mission for us. We will need to use teamwork to complete this mission. I want you 3 to come up with possible strategies for the mission." Kakashi stated before they all left the building.

Along the way, the team tossed around a few plans. One involved Sasuke using MLM to stun their target. Another involved Naruto trapping them in a wind barrier, but that idea was stopped by Soyokaze saying he lacked the precise control not to riddle the target with cuts. It was decided that Hinata would capture it with her MWM Gentle Fist. Any damage she would do would be internal and she had enough control to make it temporary.

Team 17 made their way to the eastern parts of Konoha toward a section of forest that unnerved them to that day; the Forest of the Great Beyond. The deeper they got, the more unnerved they got. Sasuke found himself hoping it was just a cat. In a way, he was right. The mission involved capturing Tora, the pet of Lady Shijimi, the wife of the Fire Daimyō. Sounded simple enough, but to classify it a C rank that meant that Tora had to be a wild beast…

"How is that a pet?!" Sasuke asked incredulously!

"It reminds me of a Lair Beast…" Hinata shivered.

Tora was not a pet one should ever have. Standing on all fours at a solid ten feet tall, it was a demonic beast of a feline. It seemed fond of the sap coming out of a tree and hadn't paid them any mind yet.

"Funny you should mention that. Back when the Lair Beasts were first captured, Tora here was considered to have a Lair of its own. Problem being it could not be tamed and never learned how to properly communicate. Lady Shijimi seemed to take a liking to it, so Konoha decided to let her keep it. He tends to run away and come back here every no and then." Kakashi explained.

Upon hearing its name, Tora stopped licking the sap and glared at its would've captors. It let out a roar strong enough to force the team to anchor themselves least they end up like the several trees that were knocked over! Tora ran after the team with each paw digging up the ground beneath it! Naruto used SWM: Drift to allow his teammates the ability of flight with him and carried them high into the trees.

"OK so I am at a lose here. I don't think I have too many spells that won't do some damage to that Pseudo Beast." Naruto admitted.

"That's not true, Dumbass. You have CC to at least box Tora in and distract him." Sasuke told him before they were forced to abandon the tree they were on. A swipe of Tora's tail took that tree down real quick!

Naruto swiftly made the cross hand seal and spawned four CC of himself, "SWM: Barrier of Effect!" use clone conjured a swirling wind dome around themselves and then slammed two at a time into each other! Using the trees to expand, they stretched their barriers into walls calling the expansion: SWM: Jetstream. Tora tried to flee, but could not break through the barrier and was repelled away.

"We're going to need backup, Naruto-kun." Hinata requested, Byakugan already actively looking over the battlefield.

Naruto spawned over a dozen CC and gave half to Sasuke and the other to Hinata. The real Naruto then blended with his CC in an attempt to confuse the Pseudo Beast. The CC swarmed the beast from high and low. Several CC flew around hazardously while the ground unit engaged in hand to hand without offensive magic. Tora made short work of them with paw slams strong enough to cause tremors! CC were reduced to puffs of smoke from the shockwave, but others managed to grapple the beast and tried to restrain it by picking it up into the air, but Tora was having none of that.

It bashed them aside with its paws and jumped into the air to swat down the flying CC. The CC went out in smoke and the real Naruto fled from the smoke clouds they left. Tora unleashed a slash wave from swinging its paw and caught Naruto with three slash marks from his face down his body; even ripping off some of his Tempest Silk! Luckily the silk could repair itself with enough LF. Sasuke used Lightning Strikes to jab Tora in the fibula of his leg, momentarily stunning it. Hinata followed up with MWM: Gentle Fist palm strikes to its hind legs. Tora roared in pain and fell down seemingly defeated.

Hinata went to make sure it was unconscious with a MWM Gentle Fist blow to its belly, but she stopped when her Byakugan noticed the increase in heat around Tora. Naruto also saw that Tora's oxygen points seemed to be fueling something not good for them. It was like a heat bomb in the making! Naruto used SWM: Drift to carry his teammates safely away with him while spawning replacement CC for them just in time. Tora's fur flared and literally released an explosion of heat and rage!

The nearby trees were burned to cinders in a burst of heat and Naruto was forced to use a BOE focused from a barrier into a heavily winded shield. The thick winds were consumed by the heat and were canceled out in another explosion that sent all three members crashing through several trees. With the MWM burned away, Tora regained use of its leg and roared before trying to flee deeper into the forest. Team 17 recovered and gave chase to the beast.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was enjoying a particularly raunchy scene from his Icha Icha Paradise. It was so raunchy the Veteran actually blushed, "Well that's one way to use MLM… The Vibe huh?" Tora unleashed a mighty shocking roar that flung Sasuke through the air. Kakashi kept on reading even after Hinata let out a scream and tremors rocked the ground!

Kakashi stopped leaning on the tree and walked over to a new side of the forest. Not even a second later, Naruto crashed into the tree he left and snapped it in half. Hinata and Sasuke came tumbling afterwards just in time for Naruto to recover. He was covered in sap from the tree and Hinata thought of the perfect plan.

"Alright boys. I need you two to cover me, I have a plan I think you will find to be sweet and sticky." Hinata hinted before using her MWM to get the sap off of Naruto.

Both her teammates nodded their understanding and rushed to keep Tora busy. Hinata made sure her MWM completely encased the sap she had before she sent it deep into the source. She wanted to get out as much as possible, so she forced her MWM further through the thick substance. Sasuke grew increasingly frustrated with the beast. He had to fight both it and himself because his instincts told him to go for the kill. Having to just stun a beast of that caliber was harder than he thought since he had to hit it with weak shots to not damage it too much. Naruto would use a BOE along with his CC and SWM: Jetstream to keep it boxed in, but that didn't mean he got away without a scratch. In fact, Tora seemed to always aim for him with his claws.

"For the love of all that is Good! My WINGS!" Naruto cried out! His wings got slashed by one of Tora's swipes and forced them to retract.

"Haha hahaha! Weak! You're so weak I can't take it you'll be the death of me!" Kyūbi barked with teary eyed laughter.

"Hinata! Now would be the perfect time to reveal your plan!" Naruto growled losing his patience. He thought of several painful ways to end the bad and all of them involved locking Tora in some kind of painful SWM spell; preferably one with razor winds.

Hinata decided she had gathered enough sap and used her control over her MWM to force all the sap out like a geyser! The scent of such a surge of sap halted Tora in his tracks. The Hyūga took it a step further by rolling all of the sap into a big wad. Tora stared with hearts in his eyes and tongue drooling. It rushed over to the sap ball, but Hinata kept it out of its reach.

"I don't think so. If you want this treat, you have to behave. Will you accompany us back to the village and await Lady Shijimi? I am sure she is worried about you." Hinata asked the Pseudo Beast.

"Are you insane, Hinata? That thing won't comprehend…" Sasuke started and then deadpanned.

The Pseudo Beast that was once almost a Lair Beast, was behaving docilely and warmly to Hinata. It exposed its belly for her to pet and its would actually let out a purr! Kakashi chose then to close his book and to call the mission a success. Sasuke and Naruto just groaned in mild exhaustion.

Team 17 walked back to Konoha with Hinata leading Tora with its sappy treat. It was quite the sight for the passerby. Once Kakashi reported the mission a success, Lady Shijimi along with her bodyguard came to pick up the beast. The bodyguard used the Transfiguration spell via a beaded necklace and shot each bead around Tora's neck. Before the beast could react, the spell turned the man-sized beast into a harmless little kitten to which Lady Shijimi smothered the poor thing almost immediately after. Naruto just glared at the chuckling Third Hokage and Kakashi. After they were dismissed, Kakashi offered to request another mission, but team 17 decided they were in no real rush to get into some action.

In a way, they wanted the peace they had to last a bit longer. Sasuke was utterly ashamed that the mission was actually harder than he gave it credit for and the way the completed it was so lackluster. There was no action, no testing his mantle against foreign forces willing to kill him. He wanted a challenge and unbeknownst to him, he would get more than he ever asked for…

And scene. I wanted to get this out before May was over. Not much to say this time. I feel good about ending it here. I am already at 9 pages and I feel that is a good stopping point. Hoping updating more will get more views and reviews since I actually do have a plan for the story. Not to spoil too much I have grand plans for Garaa and I actually plan to introduce them earlier than the Seasoned Exams. When? Maybe the next few chapters. To give you something to look forward to I want to have my Garaa be a Hand to Hand fighter AT SOME POINT! Not right away I want that OG Bloodlust Garaa to stay intact for now.


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